Zambia wins the Africa Cup of Nations in a huge upset and a nod to a horrific 1993 plane crash.Zambia upset Ivory Coast to win the Africa Cup of Nations title in the same city of its greatest sports tragedy.
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Zambia soccer team celebrating their African Cup of Nations victory in Libreville, Gabon on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012.
After more than matching the Ivory Coast over 120 minutes of play (including extra-time) and securing a 0-0 scoreline, Zambia managed to win the penalty shootout by an 8-7 score and lift the trophy for the very first time in its history.
It was nothing short of a fairy tale underdog story according to many, as few expected Zambia to be a top contender in this year’s tournament – and even in the final, the Ivory Coast, with their team of stars competing all over Europe’s best clubs, were considered the favorites. Yet, it was their captain and Chelsea FC striker Didier Drogba who missed a penalty in regular time that could have handed defeat to Zambia, making the victory seem even more like a miracle.
“I told them if we got to the final we would play in Gabon where the plane crashed. There was a special significance in that,” said Zambia coach, Herve Renard.
“They found the strength. I don’t know where,” he added, fighting tears, the BBC reported.