Feb 11, 2015 magazine Deportes
La selección de Costa de Marfil se proclamó vencedora de la Copa Africana de Naciones tras imponerse a Ghana en una larguísima tanda de penaltis. Fueron necesarios 22 lanzamientos para que el portero marfileño, Boubacar Barry, anotara el definitivo 9-8 que le dio el campeonato a su equipo. Barry había parado antes el tiro del otro arquero, Razak Braimah. Es la segunda final que Costa de Marfil le gana al equipo ghanés. La de 1992, que también se resolvió en penaltis. El anfitrión, Guinea Ecuatorial, recibió numerosas críticas por su escasa preparación. Sin embargo, Guinea Ecuatorial tuvo que organizar el torneo a última hora después de que Marruecos se negara a hacerlo por miedo a la epidemia de ébola.
ENGLISH
Ivory Coast finally won the African Nations Cup after a decade of close calls as they edged neighbours Ghana 9-8 on penalties after a goalless draw following extra time in Sunday’s final at Estadio de Bata. Goalkeeper Boubacar Barry converted the decisive spot kick to deliver the trophy for a country who had been heavily fancied for the previous five tournaments but flopped in all of them. It was a second title for Ivory Coast whose only previous success came when they also beat Ghana in a similar post-match marathon shootout 11-10 in Dakar in 1992. Their triumph came on a night when 22 people died outside an Egyptian soccer match after security forces barred fans from entering the stadium, the public prosecutor’s office said. Most of the dead were suffocated when the crowd stampeded after police used teargas to clear the supporters trying to force their way into a league match between two Cairo clubs, Zamalek and Enppi, doctors and witnesses said.
The trouble highlighted the problems facing African football and overshadowed the thrilling climax to the Nations Cup tournament in Equatorial Guinea, who stepped in as hosts after Morocco was stripped of the hosting rights. A total of 22 kicks were needed to settle the 2015 title with the Ivorians missing their first two attempts. It came down to the keepers to settle matters after all the outfield players had taken a penalty each with the score at 8-8. Barry, who was only playing because of injury to Sylvain Gbohouo, saved from Ghana goalkeeper Razak Brimah and then, after requiring treatment for an injury, got up to slot home the decisive spot kick. Victory for the Ivorians also handed Frenchman Herve Renard the distinction of becoming the first coach to win the Nations Cup with different countries after success with Zambia in 2012, when they edged the Ivorians in a shootout.