| |
|
ZAMBIA WIN AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS IN DRAMATIC PENALTY SHOOTOUT
By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Mon, 13 Feb 2012

Zambia, remembering the members of its team who died in a tragic plane crash in 1993, stunned heavily favored Ivory Coast in a dramatic penalty shootout 8-7 to win the African Cup of Nations.
It was the stars of the English Premier League and the European clubs who faltered when it mattered the most against a Zambian team that played with grim resolve and full of emotion.
Skipper Didier Drogba of Chelsea missed a penalty in regulation when Arsenal?s Gervinho was brought down while both the Arsenal star and Kolo Toure also failed to find the back of the net in the penalty shootout.
The Ivory Coast was given a break when Zambia?s Rainford Kalaba sent his spot kick soaring over the crossbar but in the end Stoppila Sunzu sent his shot ripping into the top corner of the Ivory Coast goal to complete an amazing 8-7 victory which again brought misery to Drogba.
It was the second time the star-studded Ivory Coast squad lost in the finals having succumbed to Egypt also in a penalty shootout in 2006.
The closest Zambia had come to winning the African Cup of Nations was in 1994 when they reached the finals just one year after 18 team members died in a tragic plane crash as they took off from the Gabonese capital.
BBC Sport said that ?En route to the final the current team had spoken of the strength they had gained in remembering that tragedy. And in winning the shoot-out they showed a steely determination to beat their supposedly more illustrious opponents with a performance that was built on an indefatigable spirit.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Esneth Domingo Trains at the Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles Ahead of His US Debut , Tue, 17 Mar 2026Tatay Digong Birthday Run on March 28 By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 17 Mar 202612-0 prospect Marco Romero to headline This Friday in Independence, Missouri , Tue, 17 Mar 2026700 athletes on March 21-22 at UM By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 17 Mar 2026United States Earns Four Gold Medals on Final Day of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup , Mon, 16 Mar 2026Mexico wins 2 bronze medals at World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Mon, 16 Mar 2026Arnold Barboza Jr. Shines in Welterweight Debut, Defeats Kenneth Sims Jr. to Claim Wbo Global Welterweight Title , Sun, 15 Mar 2026WBC top contender Canoy returns to Davao with Unanimous Decision Victory , Sun, 15 Mar 2026John Randall Peralta: The Future of the Philippine Chess By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026Alvin “Felemon” Dologuin Claims Win in Brico Santig’s Show in Thailand (PHOTOS) , Sun, 15 Mar 2026Donaire's Yokohama Showdown: Can our Filipino Flash Outshine the Rising Sun? (WEIGH-IN PHOTOS) By Carlos Costa, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Wins Five of Eight Bouts on Day Six , Sun, 15 Mar 2026Shai Gilgeous-Alexander surpasses Chamberlain's record of 127 consecutive NBA games with 20 points or more By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sun, 15 Mar 2026World-Ranked Light Heavyweight Najee Lopez Stops Mexican Terminator Manuel Gallego in Eight Classic Rounds in Main Event of ProBoxTV’s ‘The Contender Series’ , Sat, 14 Mar 2026Weigh-in from Highland Boxing in Bangkok, Thailand; Dologuin in Action (WEIGH-IN PHOTOS) , Sat, 14 Mar 2026Oval rules 35th CityHeights slugfest By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026Sims vs. Barboza and Dickens vs. Cacace Headline Doubleheader on DAZN By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026Rubilen Amit sustains amazing run of victories at WPBA Pool in New York By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026Weights Set in Anaheim: Barboza Jr. and Sims Jr. Ready for Welterweight War; Collazo Defends Titles , Sat, 14 Mar 2026Rising Young Star Yoenis Tellez Takes on Top Contender Brian Mendoza in New Co-Main Event of PBC Pay-per-View Event Available on Prime Video Saturday, March 28 , Sat, 14 Mar 2026Five USA Boxers Qualify for Medal Rounds on Day Six of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup , Sat, 14 Mar 2026Rubilen Amit off to hot start in her WPBA debut By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 14 Mar 2026Pavel Sosulin stops Victor Nagbe to remain unbeaten at IBA Pro 15 in Saint Petersburg , Fri, 13 Mar 2026Nicaraguan Boxing Commission hold Annual Awards to 2025 winners By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 13 Mar 2026BARBOZA JR. VS. SIMS JR. FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES , Fri, 13 Mar 2026 |

|
|
|
|
|