Published on 12.02.2024
Once again, Sebastien Haller proved to be the savior for Ivory Coast, leading them to a remarkable victory in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on their home turf.
Despite initially falling behind, Haller’s heroics sealed a comeback win against Nigeria.
In a tightly contested first half, it was William Troost-Ekong who broke the deadlock for Nigeria with an emphatic header from a corner, giving them a seven-minute lead before halftime.
However, Ivory Coast refused to be defeated and fought back in the second half. Franck Kessie capitalized on an unmarked opportunity at the back post to nod in Simon Adingra’s corner and level the scoreline in the 62nd minute.
❤️🩹 July 2022, Sébastien Haller was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 11, 2024
❤️ February 2023, Haller beats cancer and then he made a return to football.
🧡💚 February 2024, Haller scores the 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 goal for Ivory Coast in the AFCON final.
Never give up. 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/8eXgf9NHtn
With just nine minutes remaining on the clock, it was once again Haller who stole the spotlight. Displaying his instinctive goal-scoring abilities, he delicately flicked Adingra’s cross into the net with his toe to secure victory for Ivory Coast and ignite joyous celebrations throughout Abidjan.
This triumph marked Ivory Coast’s third continental title and is even more impressive considering their journey to reach this point. Overcoming challenges such as two defeats in group stages that led to their coach Jean-Louis Gasset departing along with securing victory despite Haller battling testicular cancer just over a year ago truly speaks volumes about their resilience and determination.
The Elephants can now bask in their well-deserved success as they stand proudly at Africa’s pinnacle of football excellence.
Adding to their previous victories in the Nations Cup in 1992 and 2015, West Africans have emerged triumphant as tournament hosts, a feat not achieved since Egypt’s victory in 2006.
Under the guidance of interim coach Emerse Fae, Ivory Coast showcased their prowess by securing wins over Senegal and Mali in thrilling fashion with late equalizers during the knockout stages.
Investing over $1 billion (£0.79 billion) into hosting the tournament and improving infrastructure within the country, Ivory Coast celebrated their success with President Alassane Outtara joining in the post-match festivities at a stadium named after him.
The Elephants will receive a prize money of $7 million (£5.54 million), while Nigeria will be awarded $4 million by the Confederation of African Football. Despite being three-time continental champions themselves, Nigeria’s unbeaten streak at this year’s finals came to an end as they struggled to assert dominance throughout most of the match against Ivory Coast after initially defeating them 1-0 during group stage play.
