2012 Africa Cup of Nations final

2012 Africa Cup of Nations Final
Event	2012 Africa Cup of Nations
	After extra time ; Zambia won 8–7 on penalties
Date	12 February 2012
Venue	Stade d'Angondjé, Libreville
Referee	Badara Diatta (Senegal)
Weather	Mostly cloudy; 25 °C (77 °F)

The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Final was a football match that took place on 12 February 2012 between Zambia and Ivory Coast. The match took place at the Stade d'Angondjé in Libreville, Gabon to determine the winner of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This match was an emotional match for Zambia, as the stadium is located near the spot where most of the Zambian national team died when their aeroplane crashed in 1993. The kickoff time was delayed by 30 minutes to 20:30.^[2]

Zambia won the title for the first time by beating Ivory Coast 8–7 on penalties after the only goalless draw the entire tournament.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Background

This was the third appearance in the final for Zambia; the "Copper Bullets" lost in 1974 and 1994. After a surprising start and a win over Senegal,^[6] they drew with Libya^[7] before winning the deciding match against the host Equatorial Guinea and winning the group.^[8] In the quarterfinals they won 3–0 against Sudan^[9] and shocked Ghana as they defeated them 1–0 in the semifinals.^[10] Both Christopher Katongo and Emmanuel Mayuka scored three goals in the first five matches to help Zambia to reach the final. The match was an emotional one for Zambia, as the stadium in Libreville was just kilometres away from the site of the 1993 Zambia national football team air disaster, in which 18 players were killed.

Ivory Coast also appeared in their third final. They won it in 1992 and lost in 2006. The "Elephants" had gone through the tournament so far without conceding a goal and winning all of their matches. It started with a victory against Sudan,^[11] followed by two wins against Burkina Faso^[12] and Angola, the latter one without some of the best players.^[13] The quarterfinal was won against co-host Equatorial Guinea,^[14] before Mali was beaten 1–0.^[15] Didier Drogba joins Katongo and Mayuka with three goals himself at the top of the goalscorers.

Route to the final

Zambia

Round

Ivory Coast

Opponent

Result

Group stage

Opponent

Result

Senegal

2–1

Match 1

Sudan

Libya

Match 2

Match 3

Angola

2–0

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Zambia	3	2	1	0	5	3	+2	7	Advance to knockout stage
2	Equatorial Guinea (H)	3	2	0	1	3	2	+1	6	Advance to knockout stage
3	Libya	3	1	1	1	4	4	0	4
4	Senegal	3	0	0	3	3	6	−3	0

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source:
(H) Hosts

21 January 2012

19:30

Equatorial Guinea	1–0	Libya
Balboa 87'	Report

Estadio de Bata, Bata

Attendance: 35,000^[16]

Referee: Noumandiez Doué (Ivory Coast)

21 January 2012

22:00

Senegal	1–2	Zambia
N'Doye 73'	Report	Mayuka 12' Kalaba 20'

Estadio de Bata, Bata

Attendance: 17,500^[16]

Referee: Néant Alioum (Cameroon)

25 January 2012

18:15^{[note 1]}

Libya	2–2	Zambia
Saad 5', 48'	Report	Mayuka 29' C. Katongo 54'

Estadio de Bata, Bata

Attendance: 1,500^[16]

Referee: Koman Coulibaly (Mali)

25 January 2012

21:15^{[note 2]}

Equatorial Guinea	2–1	Senegal
Randy 61' Kily 90+3'	Report	Sow 89'

Estadio de Bata, Bata

Attendance: 35,000^[16]

Referee: Khalid Abdel Rahman (Sudan)

29 January 2012

19:00

Equatorial Guinea	0–1	Zambia
	Report	C. Katongo 68'

Estadio de Malabo, Malabo

Attendance: 44,000^[16]

Referee: Mohamed Benouza (Algeria)

29 January 2012

19:00

Libya	2–1	Senegal
Boussefi 5', 84'	Report	D. N'Diaye 10'

Estadio de Bata, Bata

Attendance: 10,000^[16]

Referee: Rajindraparsad Seechurn (Mauritius)

Final standing

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Ivory Coast	3	3	0	0	5	0	+5	9	Advance to knockout stage
2	Sudan	3	1	1	1	4	4	0	4	Advance to knockout stage
3	Angola	3	1	1	1	4	5	−1	4
4	Burkina Faso	3	0	0	3	2	6	−4	0

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source:

22 January 2012