[ 2015-02-09 ]

Cote d'Ivoire 0-0 Ghana (9-8 on pens): Elephants win Africa Cup of Nations final
With both sides battling to a stalemate in the
final, spot kicks were needed to decide the clash
and Black Stars goalkeeper Brimah saw his decisive
effort saved

Cote d'Ivoire goalkeeper Boubacar Barry was the
hero for his side as they defeated Ghana 9-8 in a
dramatic penalty shootout following a goalless 120
minutes in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

Barry - who appeared to be struck down by cramp on
two occasions during the shootout - was only
selected because Sylvain Gbohouo picked up an
injury in Cote d'Ivoire's semi-final.

He saved the spot-kick of opposite number Brimah
Razak, before stepping up himself to convert the
winning kick as the Ivorians lifted the trophy for
the second time.

Cote d'Ivoire's only previous triumph in this
tournament also came against the Black Stars,
courtesy of an epic 11-10 shootout success in
Senegal in 1992, and history was to repeat itself
at the Estadio de Bata on Sunday.

It was also a repeat success for their coach Herve
Renard, who lifted the trophy in 2012 when his
Zambia side defeated his current employers, also
on penalties.

All three of Cote d'Ivoire's previous final
appearances had ended goalless, and it was the
same story in Bata as the two sides could not
separated after two hours of scoreless action.

For Ghana coach Avram Grant, it was yet more
penalty heartache after his Chelsea side lost out
to Manchester United in the 2008 Champions League
final.

Ghana looked the more likely to find a winner
throughout normal time, both Christian Atsu and
Andre Ayew striking the woodwork, but otherwise
goalmouth action was scarce.

Both sides were fortunate to finish the game with
11 men on the field. Serey Die was booked for a
dangerous studs-up challenge on Wakaso Mubarak -
which could have resulted in a red - before the
Stuttgart midfielder escaped unpunished for a
subsequent cynical foul on Atsu.

Returning Ghana forward Asamoah Gyan trod on the
foot of Eric Bailly off the ball in the first half
in an incident that went unseen, before his
team-mate John Boye was lucky to get away with a
headbutt on the same opponent after the interval.

Both sides made one change following their
semi-final victories as Barry replaced Gbohouo,
while Ghana welcomed back Gyan in place of Jordan
Ayew.

The first effort of note saw Yaya Toure bring a
simple save out of Razak with a free kick in the
14th minute, before Die was perhaps fortunate to
receive only a yellow card for a high boot which
caught Mubarak in a sensitive area.

Max Gradel fired off target from a difficult angle
in the 16th minute, and Gyan was lucky that
referee Bakary Gassama did not spot an
off-the-ball stamp on Bailly.

Atsu went agonisingly close to an opener when his
thumping drive got the better of Barry but
rebounded off the right-hand upright and away to
safety 25 minutes in.

Die, having already been cautioned for his earlier
transgression, was extremely lucky not to be shown
a second yellow card when he scythed down Atsu a
minute later.

Ghana hit the woodwork again nine minutes prior to
the interval, as Andre Ayew sliced his attempted
cut-back off the left-hand post.

There was little let-up in the feisty nature of
the encounter after the break when Boye appeared
to headbutt Bailly after the pair grappled while
waiting for a free kick, but once again there was
no action from Gassama.

Boye headed wide of the target midway through the
second half as Ghana continued to look the most
likely to make a breakthrough.

In the final minute of normal time, Serge Aurier
broke free down the right and saw his dangerous
cross parried by Razak, but Jonathan Mensah was on
hand to hack the ball away before substitute
Seydou Doumbia could provide the finish.

After extra-time proved uneventful, Ghana looked
in control of the shootout when Wilfried Bony and
Junior Tallo missed the first two kicks for Cote
d'Ivoire.

However, Afriyie Acquah and Frank Acheampong also
erred for Ghana, and as the shootout reached its
11th round, Barry saved from Razak.

The Cote d'Ivoire shot-stopper, who had gone down
with cramp earlier during the kicks, fell to the
ground again but, after receiving treatment,
picked himself up and successfully converted the
winning penalty to spark scenes of jubilation
among his team-mates.

Source - Goal.com

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