Nigeria to battle Host Country, Ivory Coast in AFCON Final

Sebastian Haller secured a crucial victory for Ivory Coast in their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-final match against DR Congo, scoring the only goal of the game in the second half at the Olympique Alassane Ouattara stadium in Abidjan on Wednesday night.

Despite entering the knockout rounds as one of the four best losers, Ivory Coast continued their surprising winning streak, defeating DR Congo to advance to the final on home soil.

DR Congo initially thought they had taken the lead through Cedric Bakambu, but the goal was disallowed by the referee for a foul on the goalkeeper.

The match remained tense until Haller broke the deadlock with a well-taken volley in the 65th minute, sealing Ivory Coast’s place in the final.

Although they had opportunities to extend their lead, Ivory Coast settled for a 1-0 victory, setting up a fifth AFCON final appearance, their first since 2015 when they clinched the title for the second time.

Ivory Coast will face Nigeria in the final on Sunday, February 11, at the same stadium, seeking their third AFCON title. The hosts previously suffered a 2-0 defeat to Nigeria in the group stage of the tournament.