Most Losses in AFCON Final: Ghana Lead List of Teams That Have Fallen Short in Africa Cup of Nations

• Ghana reached the AFCON Final nine times, with the Black Stars losing five of those
• Nigeria has lost four times in the championship match of the Africa Cup of Nations
• Egypt has lost three times in the AFCON final, two of which came in 2017 and 2021

So near and yet so far.

Losing a championship match is one of the most painful things to experience in international football.

Sports Brief looks at the teams with the most losses in the Africa Cup of Nations final.

Countries with the most AFCON Finals losses

Ghana – 5 times

Ghana have captured four AFCON titles, but they could have won more. They lost five times in the championship match, the most in the tournament's history.

The Black Stars first tasted defeat in an AFCON final in 1968, losing 1-0 to DR Congo, with Pierre Kalala scoring the game’s lone goal.

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They managed to return to the final in 1970 but once again suffered a painful defeat. They lost 1-0 to hosts Sudan, with Hasabu El-Sagheer scoring the winning goal in the 12th minute.

Their third loss in the finals came in 1992 when they faced Ivory Coast. The match went into a penalty shootout after both sides failed to score in regulation and extra time.

Ivory Coast held their nerve in the shootout, beating Ghana 11-10 to hand the Black Stars another gut-wrenching defeat.

Ghana’s fourth loss in the finals came in 2010 against Egypt, with the Black Stars suffering a 1-0 defeat. Gedo broke hearts with a late goal in the 85th minute.

Ivory Coast and Ghana faced each other in the final in 2015 and the match yielded the same result as their previous championship meeting in 1992.

The game went into a penalty shootout after both sides went goalless in the first 120 minutes, per Bleacher Report.

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Ivory Coast prevailed via penalties again, beating Ghana 9-8.

Nigeria – 4 times

Nigeria came close to winning the AFCON championship four times, losing the final in 1984, 1988, 1990, and 2000.

The Super Eagles’ bid to win their second AFCON title was thwarted by Cameroon in 1984, with the Indomitable Lions recording a 3-1 win in the final.

Nigeria took an early 1-0 lead through a Mudashiru Lawal goal in the 10th minute. They failed to hold on to that advantage, with Rene N’Djeya, Theophile Abega, and Ernest Ebongue scoring the goals for Cameroon.

More heartbreak came for Nigeria in 1988 as they lost once again to Cameroon in the final.

Emmanuel Kunde broke the Super Eagles’ hearts, scoring a 55th-minute penalty to hand the Indomitable Lions a 1-0 victory.

Nigeria suffered another 1-0 loss in the final in 1990, this time against Algeria.

Cherif Oudjani starred for the hosts in the championship match, scoring the winning goal in the 38th minute.

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Cameroon proved to be Nigeria’s kryptonite again when they faced each other in the final in 2000.

The game went into a penalty shootout after the match finished 2-2 following extra time. Cameroon held their nerve, beating Nigeria 4-3 in the shootout.

Egypt – 3 times

Egypt have won a record seven AFCON titles, but they could have captured more. They lost three times in the championship match, falling short in 1962, 2017, and 2021.

The United Arab Republic (Egypt and Syria) failed to defend their title in 1962, losing 4-2 to Ethiopia in a match that went to extra time.

Egypt’s bid to win their eighth AFCON title was thwarted by Cameroon in 2017, with the Indomitable Lions recording a 2-1 win in the final.

Egypt suffered another painful defeat in the 2021 final, losing 4-2 to Senegal in a penalty shootout, per BEIN Sports. It was agony for Mohamed Salah, who lost yet another AFCON final.

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Matches to watch in AFCON 2023

Sports Brief recently reported on the group games to watch in AFCON 2023.

Egypt and Ghana will renew their continental rivalry in Group B on January 18.

African giants, Senegal and Cameroon will then clash the day after in Group C.