France, Feb. 12 -- Cote d'Ivoire's three-week odyssey to redemption culminated in a coolly taken 2-1 victory on a humid Sunday night in Abidjan over regional rivals Nigeria. It furnished the hosts with a third Africa Cup of Nations title as well as the love of a nation and a warm embrace from a president who had authorised a billion euros to sponsor the psychedelia.

The adoration was warranted.

Cote d'Ivoire went behind to William Ekong's header just before half-time. It came against the run-of-play.

But most of what the Ivorians have proposed during the 34th Africa Cup of Nations has operated outside the realms of logic.

Two defeats in the pool stages left the side on teh verge of elimination and as they waited to discover whether th...