07/02/2024 19:17hs.
Lionel Scaloni and his coaching staff will have a match to watch this Sunday: the final of the African Cup of Nations, which will be played between Nigeria and Ivory Coast starting at 5:00 p.m. (Argentine time). Yeah, The two teams with which Argentina will have friendlies in March during its tour of China, will define the highest competition at the national team level in Africa.
This is how Nigeria got to the final
Nigeria won a great game against South Africa 4-2 on penalties (1-1 in regulation time) this Wednesday afternoon and thus reached the final of the African Cup. Great game because it was vibrant like few others – or like many in this edition of the tournament – and it was decided, of course, from the twelve steps. But in an unusual way…
Everything was 0-0 until at 67′ Nigeria was able to break the deadlock with a penalty converted by their captain, William Troost-Ekong. And with five minutes left, Victor Oshimen sealed the game 2-0 after finishing a counterattack by his team.
However, while all of Nigeria was celebrating, the VAR contacted referee Amin Omar and warned him that at the start of the counterattack there was an infringement by Yusuf Abdullahi on Percy Tau in the Nigerian area and the goal was disallowed. But not only that, but the judge charged South Africa a penalty. Teboho Mokoena took charge of the shot, scored and forced extra time.
And after the 30 extra minutes, everything was decided in the penalty shootout. There, the winner was Nigeria, which won 4-2 and reached the final.
Nigeria – 7-2-2024
This is how South Africa tied it to Nigeria at the end of the African Cup semi-finals
Amin Omar disallowed Nigeria’s goal and awarded a penalty for the South Africans.
This is how Ivory Coast advanced to the final
For Ivory Coast, the passage to the final was less difficult than that of Nigeria: they beat the Democratic Republic of the Congo 1-0 thanks to a goal from Sebastien Haller, the Borussia Dortmund striker.
They were running 64′ and Haller grabbed a cross without a good mark in the area. But his shot was bitten, so much so that a rebound complicated the goalkeeper and the ball went over his head. 1-0 and go to the final for an Ivory Coast that in the round of 16 eliminated the current champion of the African Cup (Senegal) on penalties and that in the quarterfinals, With ten players, they tied at the end against Mali, sent the game to extra time, and made it 2-1 at 120′.
African Cup of Nations – 7-2-2024
Ivory Coast’s goal against DR Congo to advance to the final of the African Cup of Nations
See also
Relief in the National Team: Barco could be against Brazil
See also
Video: Enzo Fernández’s great free kick goal against Dibu Martínez
See also