AFCON final: Ghana hoping Gyan is fit for Ivory Coast showdown

The last time one of the Ivory Coast and Ghana won the Africa Cup of Nations, was way back in 1992, when the Elephants came out winners in an epic (11-10) penalty shootout against this very opposition.

They are 6/4 favourites to beat the Black Stars again (in normal time this time), while the match is a 2/1 price to go to extra time.

There is no doubt that the Ivory Coast boast a higher quality squad of players to call upon, with the likes of Manchester City duo Wilfried Bony and Yaya Toure set to be called upon once more.

While former Swansea City striker Bony has two goals this tournament already, which both came in his nation’s 3-1 win over Algeria, Elephants boss Herve Renard believes Toure will be the key man.

“I’m sure Yaya will play a decisive game,” the Frenchman said. “He will arrive in time. You saw he scored a fantastic goal in the semi-final [against DR Congo] and that was not by chance.

“When you are fantastic player, these key important games are for you. I’m sure Yaya will play a very good final.”

Gervinho, meanwhile, has arguably been the best player of the tournament so far, and he had these words to say ahead of the Ivory Coast’s six AFCON final in the last six tournaments:

“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.

“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,” the former Arsenal and current Roma attacker added.

Avram Grant’s Ghana, meanwhile, will be no pushovers, having seen off the likes of Algeria, South Africa and 2015 AFCON hosts Equatorial Guinea, to bet to this stage.