Goals Galore At 2024 AFCON, But Trend May Not Continue In Final

Abidjan, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Feb, 2024) The Africa Cup of Nations has produced a record 116 goals with two matches to go, but history suggests the final between hosts Ivory Coast and Nigeria on Sunday could be a low-scoring affair.

There have been only 10 goals in the past 10 finals of the African football showpiece, and six of those came in just two title deciders.

Hosts Tunisia defeated Morocco 2-1 in 2004 and Cameroon came from behind against Mohamed Salah-inspired Egypt 13 years later to succeed by the same score.

Of the other eight finals, four were won by a solitary goal and another four were decided by penalty shootouts after 120 goalless minutes in each.

Football is the dominant sport in Africa and, with so much pride and pressure on the line, it is not surprising that AFCON finals tend to be tense, defence-dominated struggles for supremacy.

This year, there is record prize money at stake with the winners receiving $7 million -- $2 million more than Senegal pocketed for becoming champions two years ago.

Apart from the prize money, AFCON-winning squads can score from additional money offered by national governments and football federations, and stars may reap advertising rewards.

Ivory Coast and Nigeria have already met in 2024, in the second round of group matches, and the match delivered only one goal, a penalty converted by Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong.

The Ivorian Elephants have reached the final -- expected to draw a capacity 60,000 crowd to the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium in Abidjan -- by scoring just six goals in six matches.