AFCON 2024: Cote d’Ivoire will battle Nigeria in Sunday’s final
The hosting country for AFCON 2024, Cote d'Ivoire, secured their spot in the final after they defeated DR Congo 1-0.
Sébastien Haller netted the goal that secured the Elephants' spot in the final on Sunday, where they will face off against Nigeria.
During the group stage, Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria faced each other and the Super Eagles emerged victorious with a 1-0 win thanks to William Troost-Ekong's penalty goal.
The journey of the host country towards the final was not smooth. They had a tough time in their group matches, losing to Nigeria by one goal and facing a humiliating defeat by Equatorial Guinea who scored four goals against them.
The team barely made it to the Round of 16 as they were among the four best teams that lost but still advanced. This was because they won 2-0 against Guinea Bissau on the first day of the tournament, which helped them secure a spot.
However, despite being close to elimination in Group A, the Ivory Coast team managed to surpass all further challenges, including a victory over the favored Senegal team with a score of 5-4 in a penalty shootout during the round of sixteen.
During the quarterfinal match, the team dominated Mali, a team from the same region of West Africa, with a score of 2-1 in an intense and exciting manner. As a result, they secured a place in the semi-finals where they will once again compete against DR Congo, the team they faced in the previous round.
After defeating the Central Africans, the Elephants have secured a matchup against Nigeria.
The Super Eagles are committed to winning the tournament and bringing the trophy back to Nigeria's shining capital city of Abuja. This would bring joy and excitement to the citizens, many of whom are currently grappling with challenging economic circumstances.
Despite this, the citizens of Ivory Coast are also strongly determined to achieve their goal of winning as hosts. Over the years, eight different host nations including Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa, Tunisia, Ghana, Sudan, and Ethiopia have emerged victorious in the tournament.
Fans of football across Africa and the rest of the world are eagerly anticipating another thrilling match this Sunday when the final takes place.
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A Nigerian individual, who used to play football before and now is a passionate follower and observer of the sport, proudly identifies as a football enthusiast and analyst.
