Nigeria claimed their third CAF Africa Cup of Nations title with a dominant performance over Burkina Faso in Johannesburg. Sunday Mba fired the Super Eagles ahead with a superb volley five minutes before the break after a period of pressure saw Burkina Faso, competing in their first final, succumb to Stephen Keshi's side.
Wilfried Sanou came close to levelling for the Stallions midway through the second half but his brief flash of brilliance was extinguished by a top-drawer save by Vincent Enyeama. It was Nigeria's first final since 2000, but they were considered favourites ahead of the match against the minnows from west Africa due to their 12-game unbeaten record. Their win means coach Keshi becomes only the second man to win the cup as coach and player, following in the footsteps of Egyptian Mahmoud Al Gohari.
The Super Eagles set their stall out early with wave after wave of attack, which pegged Burkina Faso back into their own half for the majority of the first 45 minutes. Efe Ambrose had the first chance of the match when he headed over the bar from Victor Moses' free-kick in the seventh minute before Burkina Faso goalkeeper Daouda Diakite almost made a disastrous mistake moments later.
Diakite came off his line to take a ball above his own defender's head, only to fluff his take, with Brown Ideye's resulting weak shot looping over the bar. It was a huge let off for Burkina Faso in their first taste of the competition's final, after they had previously only reached the last four of the tournament in 1998 where they lost to eventual champions Egypt.
However, there was a glimmer of creativity from midfielder Jonathan Pitroipa, who had his red card from the last match against Ghana rescinded, when he made a good run up the right and drew in four Nigeria defenders, only for the resulting corner to be easily neutralised. Nigeria kept up the pressure, Aristide Bance wasting a good chance when his low, drilled 25-yard free kick flashed just wide of Enyeama's right post, before Ikechukwu Uche's turn on the edge of box was miscued by the onrushing Ideye.
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