IFFHS STATISTICS AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS - Two defeats and a coronation
The Ivory Coast team won the continental title for the third time in its history after beating the Nigeria team last night.
In the fifth continental final for the hosts and the eighth for the guests
The title goes to the team of the organizing country after 18 years (2006, the Egyptian team is crowned on its soil).
During an edition, where the Ivory Coast team entered as third in number of matches (99) in the final stages, 8 matches behind the first.
They finished as second, five matches behind the Egyptian team (111).
With a score of (2-1), recorded for the 110th time in the history of the competition, including five times in the finals
William TROOST-EKONG took the initiative to score in the 38th minute with a header into the left camp to score his third goal in the current edition and equal the record of the Libyan Ali Al-BESHARI, which has stood for 42 years ( since 1982). The best goal total for a defender in a single edition.
The holder of the number 5 increased his score to 7 goals in the jersey of his country's team, including 5 goals in the African Cup of Nations, thus becoming the best scorer/defender in the history of the competition, surpassing his late compatriot Stephen KESHI.
As the fourth oldest player to score a goal in the continental final, at the age of 30 years and 163 days.
The Nigerian team ended the first half with a score of 1-0 for the 30th time in the finals.
In the second half, the Ivory Coast team came back from afar, just as it came back from "death" in the competition, and was qualified after calculating the best third in the group stage.
Franck Yannick KESSIE scored the equalizer in the 62nd minute, which is the first for his country in five finals played, it is the fifth goal for those who wear number 8 of the current edition, his tenth under the Ivory Coast jersey, and the 20th headed goal in the 34th edition.
Then Sébastien HALLER scored the winning goal in the 81st minute, which is the fifth for the holders of No. 22 of the current edition, his tenth in the uniform of his country, the tenth conceded by the Nigerian team in 8 finals and the 24th goal in the goal area out of a total of 119 goals scored during edition no. 34.
An edition which saw the highest number of goals scored in the history of the competition
Yesterday's final saw the participation of 31 players, including 28 players active in Europe (15 from Ivory Coast, with an average age of 26 years and 10 months, and 16 from Nigeria, with an average age 26 years and 9 months).
Max-Alain GRADEL became the third oldest player to participate in an Africa Cup of Nations final, at the age of 36 years and 73 days.
The Ivory Coast team was the first to suffer two losses in the first round, including a heavier defeat for the team from an organizing country, and it completed the course by winning the title.
This is the second coronation for a team wearing the orange jersey in the last 50 years.
While the Nigerian team suffered the sixth defeat for a team which scored the first goal in the final.
And for the eighth defeat of a team wearing the green jersey in the final since 1974
Emerse FAE is the fifth youngest coach (the first to take over the team during the competition) to be crowned champion at the age of 40 years and 18 days.
In a match led by Dahane BEIDA, as the second Mauritanian referee to officiate the continental final after his compatriot Idrissa SARR in 1988.
Dahane became his country's most present referee during the African Cup of Nations matches, with five matches
BEIDA registers his name as the youngest referee to officiate the final in the history of the competition.
At the age of 32 years and 60 days, he demoted the referee, the Mauritian An Yan LIM KEE CHONG, after 30 years.