Ghana (4-3-3): Razak; Boye, Rahman, Mensah, Afful; Mubarak, Acquah, Ayew; Atsu (Acheampong, 115), Gyan (Agyemang-Badu, 120) Appiah (Ayew, 98)
Ivory Coast (4-4-2): Barry; Bailly, Aurier, Kanon, Toure; Tiene (Kalou, 114), Die, Toure, Gradel (Doumbia, 66); Bony, Gervinho (Tallo, 120)
Ivory Coast won their first African Cup of Nations in thrilling manner as the Elephants to their first title since 1992. They won the finals against Ghana on penalties as Ivory Coast goalkeeper Barry stepped up to save the final spotkick.
There was absolutely nothing to choose between the two sides over the course of 120 minutes as both of them failed to break the deadlock in regulation or even in the extra time. Both the teams had stars in their line up but none of them shone brightly on the grandest occasion of all.
Man City stars Wilfred Bony and Yaya Toure were good but far from their imperious best as they failed to weave their magic, the same can be said about Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan, Ayew and Christian Atsu.
It was one way traffic as Ghana hogged the majority of possession as well as had the better of the chances created. The Elephants for most of the game sat deep and defended. They only came forward on the break where the pace of Yaya Toure and Gervinho was used aptly.
Finally, it took 17 kicks in the shoot out to decide the champion of Africa. Wilfred Bony missed his spot kick for Ivorians and so did Ghanian goalkeeper, Razak Braimah as the title was finally decided into the sudden death.