BATA: A decades-long drought for an African Cup of Nations title is about to come to an end. And another is going to be extended at the same time.

The Ivory Coast will face Ghana on Sunday in the final, and both teams are looking to finally win another continental title after years of near-misses.

“It’s a final with two very good teams, two very strong countries in Africa since a long time,” Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard said on Saturday. “We know it won’t be easy.”

Finalists can make amends for Malabo disorder

Ghana have won the Cup of Nations four times but their last conquest was 33 years ago, while the Ivorians only triumph was in 1992 and, ironically, it was at the expense of Ghana.

Ivory Coast beat their West African neighbours 11-10 on penalties after 120 minutes of action did not produce any goals in Dakar.

The two African football powerhouses can also shift the focus of attention from crowd disorder to footballing skills after Ghana’s 3-0 semi-final victory over hosts Equatorial Guinea in Malabo on Thursday was overshadowed by violence, 36 people being injured, one seriously.

The game was halted for more than 30 minutes near the end as objects were thrown from the stands at the opposing team, officials and fans by locals angry at the demise of their team.

Ghana and Ivory Coast have followed remarkably similar paths to the final, starting the tournament slowly with new-look teams as they tried to forget disappointing 2014 World Cup campaigns.

The Ivorians spluttered through the Nations Cup qualifiers without retired talisman Didier Drogba.

Renard said he risked alienating members of the squad by accusing some of his better players of pulling in different directions. He has also still to rid himself of the scowl that has been permanently etched on his face from the start of the three-week tournament.

Renard did, though, drop his guard briefly after Wednesday’s 3-1 semi-final win over Democratic Republic of Congo to purr about strike pair Wilfried Bony and Gervinho and midfielder Yaya Toure.

The Frenchman is hoping to become the first man to win the Nations Cup with two different countries, having led Zambia to the title three years ago.

Gervinho said they are gunning for history against Ghana.

“It has been a long time since we have had a final between Ghana and Ivory Coast and we want to write our history too. This is our chance and we hope to take it,” the AS Roma forward said.

“We are very motivated. From the beginning of this competition, we said we have six games to play — we have played five and there is one remaining.”

Ghana’s squad were pilloried for a World Cup strike over money and their problems in Brazil were exacerbated by the expulsion from the camp of senior players Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng because of indiscipline.

“We realise we owe the fans and we have worked hard to win back their trust and affection,” said captain Asamoah Gyan.

Gyan is doubtful for the final, though, where Ghana are the obvious underdogs.

“We faced a lot of challenges and this is another challenge,” Ghana coach Avram Grant said. “This is the last one.”

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2015

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