Nigeria 0 - 1 Ivory Coast

The Ivory Coast deserved their win over a Nigeria side that couldn't quite match the lustre of the Elephants...

Salomon Kalou's tremendous solo effort 66 minutes in separated the West African titans in a match that will have repercussions right until the tournament's end.

The Ivorians looked more disciplined and accomplished throughout, and while Nigeria may feel that they should have had a first half penalty, the Elephants' second-half showing was more than enough for the win.

Ghana versus Guinea may have caught the imagination of the hosting support, but this was the fixture that was to really seize the world's attention. Africa's number-one ranked team, the Super Eagles, facing off against tournament favourites Ivory Coast.

The players seemed up for the occasion from the outset, although there was little by way of nationalistic posturing between them. Instead, the European superstars who play with and against each other so regularly exchanged handshakes prior to the match.

Then hostilities began.

Any talk of a cagey opening was soon dismised as John Mikel Obi teed up Nigeria's centre-forward Kanu for a long-range effort, but the Portsmouth man's shot flashed just wide.

Long-range shots were largely the staple of the first half, with mixed results: Taye Taiwo was inches away from opening the scoring 16 minutes in with a thundering 35-yarder that hit the crossbar, while Yaya Toure brought out the best in Ejide with his own distant effort.

That shot twenty minutes in signalled the start of a period of Ivorian dominance in midfield, but Nigeria should through Utaka that they can be dangerous on the break: the powerful forward broke through on the half hour mark, but pulled his attempt wide.

The most dramatic moment of the half came through another Super Eagle surge forward. Obafemi Martins fell in the box under pressure from Gohouri, only to pick up a booking for his troubles. There did appear to be the slightest bit of contact, but the Tunisian referee was adamant that the Nigerian had taken a dive.

The tempo slowed as half time approached, with it far from apparent that there was a goal in the offing.

Ivory Coast boss Gerard Gili hooked the booked Gohouri in favour of Kader Keita of Lyon at half time, replacing defensive influence with forward in an attempt to turn the game.

However, there was surprisingly little action to shout about - a Danny Shittu header wide of the target notwithstanding - in the early stages of the second period, with the midfield battle the most engrossing part of play.

But when the goal eventually came, it was well worth waiting for, and it came from the boot of Salomon Kalou. The Chelsea forward weaved his way with power and aplomb all the way from the midfield to the centre of the area, where he slotted home from twelve yards. A mesmerising run - the ex-Feyenoord man cut inside past his marker, strode into the box, turned a lunging defender, and another, reached the penalty spot and finally launched a cool finish goalwards. A world-class goal, indeed.

What followed was a world-class miss. Keite did extremely well to break past Apam into the box, but steered his close-range effort wide when hitting the target would have been easier. 2-0 it wasn't.

Nigeria then attempted to take the initiative, but the Ivory Coast took advantage of the new spaces on the pitch to drive forward. Didier Drogba tried his luck with a 35-yarder, only to trundle his effort off the defence.

The Super Eagles threw the dice, with Odemwingie coming on for Utaka and then Martins trudging off to be replaced by Makinwa. But Berti Vogts' hopes of his side becoming the "Germany of Africa" seemed forlorn as the Ivory Coast again pressed their advantage.

Tight at the back, even the offensive influence of the now-attack-minded Nigerian defensive line couldn't ruffle the Ivorians overmuch, the active Taiwo finding himself frustrated on two occasions as he sought the final ball.

Belief was clearly on the wane in the Super Eagles camp, particularly after Yakubu's low shot - perhaps Nigeria's best chance of the second half - went wide.

Indeed, the Ivorians enjoyed the final chance of the game, with Kalou shooting off-target. He'd done enough already, though - more than enough.

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Records set to fall in Africa

Records are made to be broken, but the upcoming CAF Africa Cup of Nations will likely mark an unprecedented new set of milestones for the continental championship. Not only are the likes of hosts Ghana and Cameroon seeking to match Egypt's record of five continental titles, which they set in their own backyard two years ago, but a number of leading players are also set to make history.

Egypt captain Ahmed Hassan and his Cameroonian counterpart Rigobert Song are set to compete in a seventh Africa Cup of Nations finals tournament, which will tie the record set by Côte d'Ivoire goalkeeper Alain Gouamene in 2000 and matched by Hossam Hassan of Egypt two years ago. Song and Ahmed Hassan have been at each edition of the event since 1996, although the latter did not figure on the field in his debut trip to South Africa.

In Egypt two years ago, Song set an individual record of 27 matches in the competition, which he could extent to 33 if the Indomitable Lions make it all the way to the final on 10 February. Extraordinarily, the 32-year-old has played in every single one of Cameroon's matches at the finals since 1996, taking home two winners' medals in the process.



At the last Nations Cup finals in Egypt, the veteran defender also became the first African from a country south of the Sahara to join the FIFA Centenary Club for players with 100 or more international appearances. Hassan is also a two-time winner, scoring in the 1998 final and being named the best player of the 2006 event.

Le Roy assured, Eto'o hopeful
On the bench, Ghana coach Claude Le Roy will set new coaching landmarks, even before the tournament kicks off on 20 January, but his primary objective will be to ensure success for the host nation. The Frenchman will nonetheless extend the record he set two years ago for coaching at the most tournaments. Ghana 2008 will be the sixth time he has taken charge of a team in the finals.



Le Roy, who will turn 60 on 6 February, began his journey in 1986 with Cameroon, whom he led to glory two years later. In 1990 and 1992 he was coach of Senegal and in 2006 he took Congo DR to the quarter-finals. He has coached at 22 matches at the finals, one more than the Polish-born Henryk Kasperczak.

Senegal boss Kasperczak will be in command at his fifth tournament, a feat also matched by another Frenchman, Henri Michel, who is back at the helm of Morocco.

Ghana already hold the record for the most appearances in a final, but their record-setting seventh appearance in the deciding match came as far back as 1992. Egypt, meanwhile, will play in the finals for a 21st time, keeping up one of several records they hold. The Pharaohs have won an unparalleled 40 matches in an unparalleled 77 games at the finals. Their haul of 121 goals is also a record.

The individual goal-scoring mark in the Nations Cup is now 38 years old. A total of 14 goals were posted by Ivorian Laurent Pokou over the 1968 and 1970 tournaments although, with 11 to his name going into Ghana 2008, Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o will be hopeful of surpassing his mark.