AFCON final: Nigeria vs Ivory Coast live score, result, updates, highlights from 2024 title match

Two teams riding late magic and second wind throughout the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will play for the title in Abidjan as hosts Ivory Coast meet Nigeria in the AFCON final on Sunday.

Ivory Coast looked to have been eliminated in the group stage when they were beaten in consecutive matches to close out the round, but they managed to squeak through to the Round of 16 and have made the most of their new life under interim head coach Emerse Fae.

As if that wasn't enough, the Elephants then went on to eliminate defending champions Senegal after a penalty shootout and slide past Mali in the quarterfinals on a 122nd-minute winner. It was then up to Sebastien Haller whose 55th-minute goal against DR Congo in the semifinals was enough to book a place in the title match.

Nigeria, meanwhile, had their own nine lives to burn through, securing a nervy 1-0 win against Angola in the quarters before a truly bonkers semifinal match against South Africa saw them one missed opportunity away from elimination. Yet staring an early exit in the face, the Super Eagles managed to hunker down and advance following a penalty shootout as goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali made his latest case for the Golden Glove award.

Now, as two has-been African powerhouses clash, redemption is on the line as one nation will emerge with a solid foundation for a rebuild back to their former glory, while the other will fall short of the necessary silverware to claim they are indeed back amongst the continent's upper football echelon.

The Sporting News is following the AFCON final between Nigeria and Ivory Coast live, providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.

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Starting lineups (predicted):

Nig