Nigeria have won the 2013 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, officially called Coupe d’Afrique des Nations (CAN), in an unspectacular final against Burkina Faso at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium (Soccer City).

The “Super Eagles” from Nigeria started as the top favourites in their seventh continental final againt Burkina Faso who reached the CAN final for the very first time.

Efe Ambrose had the first chance of the game to open the scoresheet in the 6th minute, but the Nigerian defender sent a header from inside the box over the crossbar. The two-time champions had another chance just two minutes later when Burkina Faso keeper Daouda Diakité failed to clear the ball to give striker Brown Ideye a golden opportuniy to give his side the lead in front of a packed house. But Ideye’s shot went over the bar and the scoreline remained 0-0.

Burkina Faso had their first half-chance in the 24th minute, when their Bundesliga star Aristide Bancé put a long-range attempt well wide.

Nigeria had more possession in the first half, but neither the “Super Eagles” nor the “Les Étalons” were able to put any pressure on their opponents. It seemed like the scoreline would remain goalless at half-time and the fans at Soccer City would be left waiting for any spectacular action on the pitch.

But Sunday Mba found the back of the net to break the deadlock in the 40th minute. Mba took advantage of a rebound in the box, when he flicked the ball past a Burkina Faso defender and slotted home past keeper Diakité.

Burkina Faso’s Belgian coach Paul Put was not a happy man in the second half due to the fact that his team failed to create any fresh ideas to level the scoreline and to get back into the game. Nigeria played a clever game and they kept waiting for some mistakes by Burkina Faso to increase the lead with a counter-attack.

Substitute Wilfried Sanou almost scored the much-awaited goal for Burkina Faso in the 74th minute, when the striker fired a superb shot on target. But Nigerian keeper Vincent Enyeama denied the striker his goal with a stunning save to keep his side in front.

Nigeria managed to keep the lead until the final whistle to win their third CAF Africa Cup of Nations title. Nigeria’s coach Stephen Keshi became the first one to win the African continental title as a player (1994) and as a coach.

Meanwhile, Mali defeated Ghana to claim the Bronze Medal with a 3-1 win in the 3rd Place Match on Saturday.

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2013 CAF Africa Cup of Nations | FINAL
at the FNB Stadium (Soccer City), Johannesburg

NIGERIA 1-0 BURKINA FASO

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GOALS
1-0 Sunday Mba (40′)

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LINE-UPS

Nigeria
1 Vincent Enyeama [C]; 5 Efe Ambrose, 22 Kenneth Omeruo, 14 Godfrey Oboabona, 3 Elderson Echiejile (67′ 21 Juwon Oshaniwa); 10 John Obi Mikel, 17 Ogenyi Onazi; 11 Victor Moses, 19 Sunday Mba (89′ 2 Joseph Yobo), 8 Brown Ideye; 15 Ikechukwu Uche (54′ 7 Ahmed Musa)

Unused Subs
16 Austine Ejide, 23 Chigozie Agbim; 4 Obiora Nwankwo, 6 Azubuike Egwuekwe, 12 Ruben Gabriel, 13 Fegor Ogude, 18 Ejike Uzoenyi, 20 Nosakhare Igiebor

Burkina Faso
1 Daouda Diakité; 5 Mohamed Koffi, 4 Bakary Koné, 8 Keba Paul Koulibaly (84′ 9 Moumouni Dagano), 12 Saidou Mady Panandetiguiri; 6 Djakaridja Koné (90′ 21 Abdou Razack Traoré), 7 Florent Rouamba (65′ 20 Wilfried Sanou); 22 Préjuce Nakoulma, 18 Charles Kaboré [C], 11 B.Y. Jonathan Pitroipa; 15 Aristide Bancé

Unused Subs
16 Abdoulaye Soulama, 23 Germain Sanou; 2 Hugues Wilfrid Da, 3 Henri Traoré, 10 Alain Traoré, 13 Issouf Ouattara, 14 Benjamin Balima, 17 Ali Rabo, 19 Pan Pierre Koulibaly

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MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee
Haimoudi Djamel (Algeria)

Assistant Referees
Redouane Achik (Morocco), Jean-Claude Birumushahu (Burundi)

Fourth Official
Rajindraparsad Seechurn (Mauritius)

Match Commissioner
…

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BOOKINGS

Yellow Cards
33′ Florent Rouamba (Burkina Faso)
38′ Ogenyi Onazi (Nigeria)
57′ Kenneth Omeruo (Nigeria)
57′ John Obi Mikel (Nigeria)
71′ Juwon Oshaniwa (Nigeria)
90’+2′ Brown Ideye (Nigeria)

Yellow-Red Cards
none

Red Cards
none