If this definition were written at the back of a football book, it would be an exciting story. The incredible protagonist was the selection of Ivory Coast, which became champion of the African Cup of Nations, after defeating Nigeria 2 to 1 in the final of the competition he hosted. But the path of Los Elefantes was very difficult. The road to the title came after the tough 4-0 defeat against Equatorial Guinea in the group stage. There, the leaders of the team made the decision to fire coach Jean-Louis Gasset, in the middle of the tournament, when it seemed that the team no longer had any chance. And the glorious closing came from the hand of Sebastien Haller, the attacker who a year and a half ago was diagnosed with a testicular tumor and he was the hero of his team.
The d’Ebimpé Olympic stadium, in the city of Abidjan, was the venue for the final of the Africa Cup. The 60,000 souls that populated the stronghold strongly accompanied the Ivorian team. However, At 38 minutes into the first half, William Troost Ekong made it 1-0. header, for Nigeria and left all the local fans in silence and unleashed the uproar of the handful of Super Eagles fans. However, the game lacked a lot of time and at 17 minutes into the second stage Franck Kessié appeared. The midfielder established the tie after a corner, and excited the locals. And in the 36th minute, Sebastien Haller anticipated his marker and made it 2 to 1 which unleashed the celebration of the Ivory Coast team that, after a competition full of problems, was able to become champion for the third time in its history of this competition, which had already won it in 1992 and in 2015.
The star of the night was Sebastien Haller. The forward had experienced a difficult moment on July 18, 2022, a day in which bad news hit him at his door. Borussia Dortmund, a team to which he had arrived from Ajax a few days before to replace Erling Haaland, published a forceful statement through its official social networks: “Sébastien Haller has had to leave the club’s training camp in Bad Ragaz due to illness and has already traveled back to Dortmund. During the exams, a testicular tumor was discovered. Good recovery, Sébastien!”
However, almost six months later and after operations and chemotherapy sessions in between, the French-born attacker reappeared in the team. On January 10, 2023 he returned in a friendly and from there he began to have his first official minutes at Dortmund; Throughout last season he scored 11 goals in 36 games. His appearances brought him to the national team of which he had already been part before his illness, but in the African Cup he appeared in the most important moments, with goals against Congo in the semi-final, and Nigeria in the final . In this way, at 29 years old he obtained the first title with the team he represents.
The title in the competition it organized came within an unfavorable context for Ivory Coast, which in the group stage only defeated Guinea-Bissau 2-0 in its debut. Then they lost to Nigeria 1-0 and on the last date they lost 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea. that duel meant that the leaders of the Ivorian Football Federation fired coach Jean-Louis Gasset in the middle of the tournament and despite the fact that the team, although in extremis, was classified as the best third place in the round of 16.
The one chosen to replace him was Faé emerged, 40 years old, a former player for Nice and Nantes, in France, and Reading, in England. Against all odds, Faé made it possible: Ivory Coast beat the champion, Senegal, on penalties and reached the top eight. Then it was a victory against Mali, in the quarterfinals. Congo was the rival in the semifinals and the 1-0 in favor put them in the final, in which they had to play revenge against Nigeria, with whom they had already fallen in their group.
When it seemed that the ghosts of that fall were beginning to go around, their two figures appeared so that the Ivorians could reverse the final and keep a title in an unexpected way after the surprise change of coach. On Sunday, the streets across the West African country had reason to celebrate until the early hours of the morning because the African Cup remained at home.
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