How Zambia emerged at the top of Cup of Nations fight

The stage where Zambia won their first ever Africa Cup of Nations title is also where a whole generation of the country’s players perished in a plane crash in 1993.

It was an emotional moment for the young Chipolopolo side. Just a day before the final match against Cote d’Ivoire, the team visited the site where the plane crashed. Led by Kalusha Bwalya, the only surviving member of that squad, the Zambian side knew their moment to honour their departed heroes had arrived. “If by winning this title, we will have honoured our heroes, then we are going to do exactly that,” said captain Chris Katongo.

Their opponents — “the Elephants” — had been considered, alongside Ghana, as the favourites to claim the Nations Cup title in the absence of hitherto champions Egypt, Nigeria and Cameroon. But, it is the Zambians who steadily moved to the finals claiming the scalps of Senegal and Zambia in the process.

A look at the teams and their performance.

Zambia:

They were the deserved champions. They played with vigour and never took their eyes off the ball. After coming so close in 1974 losing to Zaire and losing to Nigeria in 1994 , this was their time. They started off well pummelling Senegal 3-0 and went on to lead the group after holding Libya and beating co-hosts Equatorial Guinea. In the quarter finals, they tossed out Sudan before eliminating Ghana to reach the final. The Chipolopolo were the most consistent team in the tournament alongside the Ivorians who never conceded a goal on open play.

Cote d’ Ivoire:

They were hyped as the tournament favourites and went all the way to the finals. But, they paid the price of complacency in the finals where they were beaten on penalties by Zambia. It was going to be their title had Didier Drogba not missed a penalty. The loss means some players like Didier Zokora, Drogba, Saka Tiene may retire without winning the Nations Cup.

Mali:

The Malians emerged from a group that had Ghana, Guinea and Botswana to go all the way to the semi finals, only to lose to Cote d’ Ivoire. But, in the third place play off, they defeated an already dejected Ghana to go home with the bronze title.

Ghana:

They started off with a win over Botswana, but were never impressive. Considered tournament favourites, the Ghana squad had difficulty holding on to this tag and the pressure was telling in the semi-final when they lost to Zambia. Asamoah Gyan once again squandered a penalty when it mattered most.

Gabon:

Co-hosts Azingo Nationalle were a marvel to watch. They lived to their hype reaching the quarter finals and ensuring the fans packed the stadia throughout their matches. The Gabonese side were unlucky to exit the tournament after losing on penalties to Mali but it was the experience of the Malian side that counted on the day.

Equatorial Guinea:

Prior to this tournament, it was difficult to say whether Equatorial Guinea could kick a ball. But, their performance in the Nations Cup earned them many admirers. They finished second behind eventual champions Zambia in Group A going on to reach the quarters.

Tunisia:

The Tunisians gave a good account of themselves and with Egypt and Algeria missing out, Tunisia and Morocco carried the North African flag. However, a quarter final berth is what they could manage losing to Ghana on extra time.

Sudan:

The East African side had set a target of reaching the quarter finals and that is what they achieved. They played some good football but were inexperienced at this stage.

Guinea:

Once again the Guineans failed to shine at the tournament. Discipline has always been a problem for this otherwise talented squad.

Niger:

First timers at this tournament, they left with some credible performance from a group that had Morocco, Tunisia and hosts Gabon. It was a learning experience for the Niger side.

Libya:

Given the turmoil the country has gone through, even qualifying was a great achievement. They were not expected to go past the first round but they managed to get a point off eventual champions Zambia and also beat Senegal.

Botswana:

They showed some good football in their first game against Ghana, which they lost by a solitary goal.

Angola:

A very talented squad with ex Manchester United striker Manucho yet, failed to show what they are made of in this competition.

Burkina Faso:

Once again they were at the tournament but left without making a mark. Save for the semi final finishing in 1998 when they hosted the competition.

Morocco:

The North Africans were a complete flop in the competition. After losing to Tunisia and Gabon, the Moroccan side — expected to put up a spirited fight — lost hope and left the competition early.

Senegal:

Woeful performance. The Senegalese were considered strong contenders for the title given the calibre of players they had in their squad. But after losing to Zambia on their first game, they never recovered and took the first flight back home.