Zambia wins African Cup after penalty shootout

LIBREVILLE, Gabon — Zambia returned to the scene of its worst sporting tragedy to make it a place of unrestrained joy after winning a nerve-racking African Cup of Nations final Sunday on penalties over tournament favorite Ivory Coast.

Stophira Sunzu scored the deciding sudden-death spot-kick after Gervinho missed for the Ivorians, giving Zambia a 8-7 win on penalties after the teams were locked at 0-0 through 120 minutes.

Zambia's first African title came, poignantly, in Libreville and just a few kilometers from where almost the entire Zambian team was killed in a plane crash 19 years ago off the coast of the Gabon capital.

In a game of relentless drama and high emotion, the most significant moment was perhaps when Kalusha Bwalya, a member of the tragic team who was not on the ill-fated aircraft in 1993, lifted the Cup of Nations trophy up in one hand on the pitch, almost defiantly.

It was Zambia's first game in Libreville since that the plane crash.

"There was a sign of destiny, a force within us. Maybe it was meant to be," Zambia coach Herve Renard said. "I can't explain it, honestly I can't explain it. Something was written in the stars. It was not me."

Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba also missed a 70th-minute penalty to send the dramatic decider to extra time and then a shootout and boost Zambia's feeling that they were meant to win the African Cup here.

After both sides made their first seven penalties, Kolo Toure gave Zambia a chance at victory when his effort was saved by Kennedy Mweene. But Kalaba Rainford sent his effort high over the crossbar.

But Arsenal's Gervinho faltered as well and Sunzu made no mistake when it was his turn, drilling his penalty past Boubacar Barry for the title-clinching moment that capped a compelling, storybook ending.

The Zambians, who had watched the final few penalties on their knees with arms linked, erupted in joy and chased after Sunzu.

"That's (the plane crash) the thing that's been driving us through the tournament," goalkeeper Mweene said. "We have been thinking about that since we went into camp.

"It's one of those games. We were playing against big names but ... we had to do it. The team spirit and the brotherhood in the team was the key for us."