Join the debate at #bbcafcon2015published at 19:03 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Feyera Aga Hirpa:, external The clash of the two best teams of the continent, this is African Cup of Nations Final! Bring it on
Summary
Ivory Coast win the Africa Cup of Nations
Goalkeeper Barry scores dramatic winning penalty in shootout
Goalless after 120 minutes
GET INVOLVED: #bbcafcon2015
Join the debate at #bbcafcon2015published at 19:03 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Postpublished at 19:03 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Ivory Coast winger/forward Gervinho seems to have one thing on his mind tonight - get the ball and run. He just breezed past two Ghana players before John Boye stole the ball from him. No Waltons jokes tonight.
Postpublished at 19:01 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Steve Crossman
BBC Sport in Bata"Not one of these Black Stars players were born when Ghana were last crowned Africa Cup of Nations champions. Avram Grant is going to need to rectify a rotten record in finals if he is to lead them to victory."
KICK-OFFpublished at 19:00 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Here we go. Ivory Coast get us under way.
BBC meets The Elephant Manpublished at 18:58 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
What's going on here? You've just about got time to find out from BBC World Service reporter Piers Edwards who met the man under the white trunk.
Join the debate at #bbcafcon2015published at 18:57 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Peter Mesias Kambala:, external Renard is used to winning finals, Avram Grant is not- he's probably the only one who won't be hurt if Ghana lose this final.
The anthemspublished at 18:56 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
The anthems are being blasted out. First is the Ivory Coast anthem "L'Abidjanaise", followed by Ghana's "God Bless Our Homeland Ghana".
Glass half emptypublished at 18:55 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Now looking about Estadio de Bata - it doesn't look very full. There is the fact that Equatorial Guinea were a late replacements as hosts after Morocco were ditched because of their worries over Ebola. Hmmm...
Teams are outpublished at 18:52 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Image source, Kwesi Appiah
Image source, Kwesi AppiahThe teams are coming out on to the pitch...
Join the debate at #bbcafcon2015published at 18:51 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Thomas Dolfi:, external "I fancy Ghana to pull a fast one over the fancied Ivory Coast tonight! The Elephants will be ambushed by their opponents' pace.
Tournament top scorerspublished at 18:50 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesWe are a little more than 10 minutes away from kick-off. One of these guys could walk away with the Cup of Nations Golden Boot? Who has impressed you? #bbcafcon2015, external
Postpublished at 18:48 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Piers Edwards
BBC Africa sport
"More security personnel than fans at Estadio de Bata earlier this afternoon. Equatorial Guinea/CAF intent on avoiding Thursday's scenes."
Kanoute on the finalistspublished at 18:45 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesBack to the action coming up, BBC World Service caught up with former Mali and West Ham forward Frederic Kanoute, who believes the best two teams of the competition are contesting the final:
"I would add maybe Algeria, they had a tough group so anyone of that Algerian group could go through. Ghana deserved to go through - they were very serious all the way. And of course Ivory Coast got stronger and stronger as the tournament went along so I think we have the best two teams in the end."
Closing ceremonypublished at 18:44 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
By the way we've had an closing ceremony. Here are a few photos:
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, AP
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesLowdown on the Black Starspublished at 18:39 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesI'm really not sure how Ghana fans would feel if they once again failed to land the big prize. It has been 33 years - THIRTY-THREE YEARS - since they last won Afcon.
Since then they've managed two runners-up spots and a four semi-finals. Their coach Avram Grant - ex of Chelsea - knows a thing or two about losing in a major fi...
Anyway, here he is:
"They are very motivated, they do not need any speeches because we have come a long way as nobody gave us a chance. They will show this on Sunday.
"We have improved with every game. Algeria and Senegal were considered better than us and this was a challenge for us.
"There is one more challenge -- the last one in this tournament."
Tournament statisticspublished at 18:35 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Image source, CafImage caption, The tournament statistics so far for Ivory Coast (left) and Ghana, courtesy of organisers Caf
Lowdown on The Elephantspublished at 18:31 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Image source, APImage caption, Herve Renard in a white shirt
The Ivorians are odds-on favourites to win the final. In the last five tournaments, they have managed two runners-up finishes and a fourth.
Yaya Toure, Gervinho, Wilfried Bony and Max Gradel have all impressed, while right-back Serge Aurier looks a threat when he goes forward.
They eased past DR Congo in the semi-final, with Toure scoring arguably the goal of the tournament - a 20-yard thunderbolt.
Their coach is Herve Renard, a man rarely out of a white cotton shirt who once manager Cambridge United. I think that's the second mention of Cambridge United in this live text.
Here's our Herve:
"I'm sure Yaya will play a decisive game. He will arrive in time. You saw he scored a fantastic goal in the semi-final and that was not by chance.
"When you are fantastic player, these key important games are for you. They are always ready. For them there is no added pressure. The adrenalin of the competition is making all the difference."
Postpublished at 18:26 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Image source, Getty ImagesJoin the debate at #bbcafcon2015published at 18:22 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
BBC reporter Oluwashina Okeleji: , externalGhana have reached their NINTH AFCON final, more than any other team. They have won 4 tournaments & finish runners-up 4 times.
'You've got Cumberbatch, we've got Pele'published at 18:20 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2015
Image source, PeleThat's right. You can keep your Baftas, the Africa Cup of Nations has delivered Pele. The original one, not the "Desert Pele".