Ivory Coast celebrates after their team's Africa cup win

In Ivory Coast, hundreds of thousands of supporters thronged the airport and spilled onto the streets of Ivory Coast's commercial capital Abidjan to welcome the national football team, Les Éléphants (The Elephants) on Monday after its victory at the Africa Cup of Nations in Bata, Equatorial Guinea.

Reuters reports that Les Éléphants  who won their first Nations Cup title after a drought of 23 years on Sunday returned home to a hero’s welcome. Ivory Coast beat Ghana 9-8 in a dramatic penalty shootout.

Supporters, who had watched their national team, lose in two finals during a decade that saw their country descend into political turmoil and two civil wars, poured into the streets following the win in a party that lasted much of Sunday night.

"This cup must bring us peace. The politicians must be like the players. They must be united and create peace for us, their people!" said supporter Bakary Diomande.

President Alassane Ouattara, who travelled in his motorcade through the celebrating crowds Sunday night, declared Monday a national holiday and called upon Ivorians to come to the Felix Houphouet-Boigny football stadium to show their appreciation for the team.

"It's wonderful. We had an fantastic team and a coach without equal ... The Ivorian people are proud," Ouattara said following the victory.

Cheering crowds decked out in Ivory Coast's national colours - orange, white and green - swamped the airport and packed the 15-km (9 miles) route that brought the team from the airport to the city centre.

Monday morning, hours before the players were due to arrive there, the 35,000-seat stadium was full and police officials broadcast messages ordering fans to stay at home for security reasons.

(e-mail: engafrica@vatiradio.va)