Ivory Coast beat Ghana on penalties to win AFCON 2015

Thomas Freeman Yeboah 14:57 - 08 February 2017

Exactly two years today Ivory Coast were crowned champions of African football Sunday, as they beat Ghana 9-8 in a dramatic penalty shootout after a goalless 120 minutes in the final of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

On 8th February, 2015, Ivory Coast won their first Africa Cup of Nations since 1992 in dramatic fashion, beating Ghana 9-8 on penalties.

The triumph at the Estadio de Bata in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, represented the second time the Elephants won the coveted trophy and ended a 23-year wait for silverware.

It was an exciting end to a game that had been anything but, with Premier League stars Bony and Yaya Toure unable to create enough to win the game in 90, or even 120 minutes.

Wilfried Bony smashed his spot-kick against the crossbar but the Elephants recovered in the shoot-out, eventually taking the title when goalkeeper Boubacar Barry saved from his opposite number Razak Braimah and then stepped up to score.

It does not get more dramatic than that! Brimah is inconsolable out on the field and you have to feel for the keeper. This is difficult defeat to swallow for Ghana, who fought admirably throughout.

It had looked like the Black Stars might end their 33-year wait for a fifth Cup of Nations title when Ivory Coast missed their first two spot-kicks - Manchester City's new signing Wilfried Bony hitting the crossbar and substitute Junior Tallo dragging wide with his first touch of the game.

But Afriyie Acquah and Frank Acheampong failed with their efforts for Ghana and the sides were back on level terms.

After every outfield player had taken his turn, Barry - who had annoyed some of the Ghana players by going down with cramp - brilliantly saved keeper Razak's effort. He then kept his composure to slot home before being mobbed by his team-mates.

Defeat was perhaps a little harsh on Ghana, who had the better of the chances in the scoreless 120 minutes that preceded the shootout and twice hit the woodwork.

Christian Atsu was unlucky to see a superb 25-yard shot come back off the keeper's left-hand post, while Andre Ayew struck the outside of the other upright from a tight angle.

But there there was a sense of inevitability throughout the match that it would go the distance as neither team appeared to be prepared to take the risks that might bring a victory.

The big names - Ivory Coast's Yaya Toure and Bony, and Ghana's Ayew and Asamoah Gyan - failed to have a decisive influence on a game that never really flowed.