Our referee today is Bakary Papa Gassama from Gambia.
In team news Ghana, they have restored Asamoah Gyan to the line-up in place of Jordan Ayew, with the ace striker now recovered from the injury he suffered against Guinea in the quarterfinals.
Whiles, Ivory Coast have made just one change to the team that beat DRC in the semifinals, with veteran goalkeeper Copa Barry replacing Sylvain Gbohou to make his first appearance of the tournament.
One of these two teams will end a long, long wait for AFCON glory. The Elephants won their only continental trophy back in 1992, while the Black Stars' most recent triumph was a full decade earlier in 1982.
Welcome to the Africa Cup of Nations final, a West African derby between heavyweights Ivory Coast and Ghana.
Cote D'ivoire : Copa Barry, Kolo Toure, Siaka Tiene , Serge Wilfried Kanon, Eric Bailly, Serge Aurier, Yaya Toure, Geoffroy Serey Die, Max Gradel, Gervinho, Wilfried Bony
Ghana : Razak Braimah, Harrison Afful, John Boye, Jonathan Mensah, Baba Rahman, Mubarak Wakaso, Afriyie Acquah, Christian Atsu, Andre Ayew, Asamoah Gyan, Kwesi Appiah
The match is underway!
National anthems done and dusted, we're almost ready for kick-off.
Ivory Coast wear all-orange, Ghana are in all-white.
Wakaso tries a long range shot, but sees his effort well blocked.
'Ivory Coast wear all-orange, Ghana are in all-white.
Yaya crosses from Ivory Coast's first corner kick, but it's well defended by the Black Stars. 
Another Elephants corner, this time it drifts all the way through to Tiene, whose cross is unconvincingly cleared by Ghana's backline.
Yaya shoots on goal from the free kick… straight at the ‘keeper and comfortably saved by Braimah.
'Elephants awarded a free kick just outside the box after a foul on Tiene.
'Yaya appeals for a penalty after a challenge from Acquah, but the referee isn’t interested.
'Appiah heads clear from another Ivory Coast corner.
'Gradel unhappy with a challenge from Rahman, and he has words with the Ghana defender.
Twenty minutes played, still no goals here in Bata.
'Aurier with a great sliding tackle to quell a Ghana attack.
'Gervinho tees up Gradel, who drills a powerful shot high and wide from the edge of the box!
'Geoffroy Serey Die (Cote D'ivoire) is cautioned. 
'Yaya shoots on goal from the free kick… straight at the ‘keeper and comfortably saved by Braimah.
Ivory Coast having to work hard in midfield to try and keep pace with Ghana's very mobile players.
'Ghana showing signs of taking control of the game now...
'Atsu with a long range strike that hits the post! Barry was beaten to his left but saved by the woodwork!
'It's been a tightly contested match so far, neither side is giving an inch in this battle.
Ayew looks to cross from the left by-line, but the angle is too tight and his effort hits the outside of the upright.
'Ten minutes to play in the first half, can either side strike a blow in this time period?
'Afful miscues an acrobatic attempt at a clearance, but it falls kindly for his goalkeeper.
Lovely skill down the right flank from Gervinho, but Rahman sticks to him and wins the ball back. Great defending.
'Now it's the turn of the Ghana goalkeeper to get his hands on the ball. Neither has been called upon to make a major save as yet...
'Barry with safe hands from a Ghana free kick, the veteran 'keeper has looked very much at home for the Elephants.
The referee brings the first half to an end. 
Aurier crosses from the right, well cleared by Mensah.
'Boye with a vital challenge to win the ball ahead of Gervinho, who would have been in on goal otherwise.'Atsu cuts inside from the right, plays a pass inside for Gyan, who shoots high and wide from the 'D' of the box.
Andre Ayew with a cynical trip on Yaya and he's lucky not to be booked.
'Tiene heads clear from a corner kick, Acquah then has a wild shot that is well off target.
'Gervinho is crowded out on the edge of the box... Ghana really recognise the danger he poses and put plenty of defenders on him.
'No changes from either side at the half time break.
In fact neither of them is, and Kolo heads clear from a Ghana free kick driven into the penalty area.
'Boye and Bailly with a confrontation which should see them both booked...
Siaka Tiene (Cote D'ivoire) is cautioned.
Braimah with safe hands from an Ivory Coast corner kick. Still we await the first goal...
'Gradel with a ball to Gervinho on the edge of the box, but he's denied by a great challenge.
'In fact neither of them is, and Kolo heads clear from a Ghana free kick driven into the penalty are
70'Another long range effort from Wakaso... again well off target. Sums up the match so far.
'Boye heads wide from a half-chance in the Ivory Coast box.
Wakaso shoots from long range... well struck, but over the crossbar.
'Cote D'ivoire: Seydou Doumbia replaces Max Gradel 
'Tiene with a terrible attempt to cross from the left that has Herve Renard rolling his eyes in frustration.
Wakaso's corner kick is poor, cleared by the first defender.
'Gradel with an acrobatic clearance from an Afful cross.1'Braimah with safe hands from an Ivory Coast corner kick. Still we await the first goal...
'Gradel with a ball to Gervinho on the edge of the box, but he's denied by a great challenge.
'In fact neither of them is, and Kolo heads clear from a Ghana free kick driven into the penalty area.
Atsu beats his man down the right of the box, but his pull-back is behind Gyan, who can't get a clean shot on target!
'Another long range effort from Wakaso... again well off target. Sums up the match so far.
Tiene with a teasing ball from the set piece, Braimah bravely punches clear, good goalkeeping from the Ghanaian!
'Ivory Coast with a free kick in scoring range... can Yaya make something of this?
'Yaya's corner kick is well defended by Ghana. The set pieces haven't been of a great quality tonight.
'Atsu beats his man down the right of the box, but his pull-back is behind Gyan, who can't get a clean shot on target!
Bony with a header, but it loops over the top of the target for a free kick.
'Aurier with a dangerous low cross from the right, but again Ghana's defence has the answer for every question asked of them.
'Twelve minutes left, it's looking like we are headed for extra time. Perhaps even penalties, just like these teams' AFCON final meeting in 1992...
Boye's okay to play on. Seven minutes of regulation time remaining...
'Ghana have Boye down with a knock to the head, they'll hope he can recover quickly.
'Bony with a header, but it loops over the top of the target for a free kick.
There will be three minutes of added time.
'Aurier's low cross forces a save from Braimah and his defence clears the loose ball! Heart-in-mouth moment for the Black Stars...
'Gyan tries to find Appiah's run in behind the defence, but Barry gets there first.
'Wakaso shoots from a free kick... deflected wide but there's no corner kick awarded.
Into extra time we go. The game will need a major shake-up if it isn't to go to penalties...
'The referee signals the start of the first period of extra time. 
Up to the 100 minute mark. Still no goals in this AFCON final, which has not lived up to its hype.
'Ghana: Jordan Ayew replaces Kwesi Appiah
'Renard on the sidelines had to hurdle a Ghana player as he skids out of play.
'Gyan looks to be through on goal, but the offside flag goes up...
'Ghana with a corner kick, but again Ivory Coast's defence stands firm.
he referee blows for the end of the first period of extra time. 
'Eric Bailly (Cote D'ivoire) is cautioned.
A short back-pass almost gives Doumbia a sniff of goal, but Braimah clears under pressure.
Gervinho pushes forward into the box, passes inside for Doumbia, but the striker cannot control and Braimah claims the ball.
'Ghana with two scoring chances at the start of the second half of extra time, but they and a resulting corner kick still don't break the deadlock.
Another corner kick, this time it falls for Wakaso on the edge of the box but he shoots wide.
Gervinho almost breaks through, the defences are showing signs of cracks now...
Cote D'ivoire: Salomon Kalou replaces Siaka Tiene
Bailly takes a shot to the face and there's a break in play while he receives treatment.
Cote D'ivoire: Salomon Kalou replaces Siaka Tiene
Ghana: Frank Acheampong replaces Christian Atsu
It's going to be penalties in this AFCON final...
119'Bony with a chance to feed Gervinho, but he overhits the pass into the goalkeeper's hands.
120 + 3'Copa Barry (Cote D'ivoire) Penalty Shootout - Goal. 
120 + 3'Razak Braimah (Ghana) Penalty Shootout - Fail 
120 + 3'Geoffroy Serey Die (Cote D'ivoire) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'John Boye (Ghana) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Eric Bailly (Cote D'ivoire) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Baba Rahman (Ghana) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Serge Wilfried Kanon (Cote D'ivoire) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Harrison Afful (Ghana) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Kolo Toure (Cote D'ivoire) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Ghana) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Salomon Kalou (Cote D'ivoire) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Jonathan Mensah (Ghana) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Yaya Toure (Cote D'ivoire) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Andre Ayew (Ghana) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Seydou Doumbia (Cote D'ivoire) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Frank Acheampong (Ghana) Penalty Shootout - Fail
120 + 3'Serge Aurier (Cote D'ivoire) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Afriyie Acquah (Ghana) Penalty Shootout - Fail
120 + 3'Junior Tallo (Cote D'ivoire) Penalty Shootout - Fail
120 + 3'Jordan Ayew (Ghana) Penalty Shootout - Goal.
120 + 3'Wilfried Bony (Cote D'ivoire) Penalty Shootout - Fail
120 + 3'Mubarak Wakaso (Ghana) Penalty Shootout - Goal.