The 7-6 overtime victory for the Ivory Coast over Nigeria was a bit of revenge for the Elephants as they have lost to Nigeria in previous editions of the CAF African Beach Soccer Championship, including in a final.
This match was unlike any other, however, as the pace was extremely hurried and breakneck, with both sides controlling proceedings at one point or another. Cote d’Ivoire came out punching first, but Nigeria stormed back and took the lead, but the Ivory Coast took a big lead, by this matches standards, of two goals, and looked safe to ride out the victory, however, the Nigerians tied matters late and used every possible second of overtime, scoring on the last kick of the match, to earn the win.
Nigeria and the Ivory Coast had both already clinched their spots in the semi-finals, as the top two finishers in Group A, but neither wanted to be the runner-up and face the winner of Group B. For that reason, both squads came out running and it was the Elephants who scored first to take the early 1-0 lead.
Not long after the first goal, the Nigerians responded with a goal of their own. Just past the midway point in the opening period Nigeria nailed home a shot, a nearly open net, to take their first lead of the day at 2-1.
A last minute penalty kick for Cote d’Ivoire intensified the drama as it tied the score at 2 going into the first break.
The breathless action continued in the middle frame and it was the Super Eagles who broke the deadlock on a perfectly kicked penalty shot, making the score 3-2 for Nigeria early in the second period.
The momentum continued to swing like a pendulum, from one side to the other and the Ivory Coast took control again late in the frame, as they score three unanswered goals, which gave them the biggest lead of the match, merely two goals, but it was enough breathing room to keep them in the lead 5-3 going into the final frame.
Action was in no short supply in the entire match, especially in the final frame as the Sand Eagles inched closer and still early in the period, they tied the match at 5. The stalemate only lasted seconds as the Elephants scored again, the third of the day for Aka, to put the score at 6-5 for the Ivory Coast going into the final minutes.
Things looked to be going the Ivorian Coasts’ way, but Nigeria did not know when to quick and with less than three minutes left, Taiwo for Nigeria scored to tie things at 6. Both teams tried to grit out a regular time win, but could not and the game headed to the extra frame tied at 6. The game was headed to penalties when Nigeria pulled a goal out of nothing, using a last second shot, as the buzzer was about to sound, to give the Nigerians a 7-6 overtime win.
Goals: 0-1: Tchetche, min. 10 (1); 1-1: Olawale, min. 8 (1); 2-1: Ibenegbu, min. 5 (1); 2-2: Daniel, min. 1 (1); 3-2: Abu, min. 8 (2); 3-3: Diomande, min. 6 (2); 3-4: Aka, min. 5 (2); 3-5: Aka, min. 5 (2); 4-5: Emeka, min. 10 (3); 5-5: Olawale, min. 6 (3); 5-6: Aka, min. 6 (3); 6-6: Taiwo, min. 2 (3); 7-6: Emeka, min. 0 (et).
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