| Drogba ghosts return as Zambia win shootout |   |
 Ivory Coast's captain Didier Drogba with Yaya Toure |
Stoppila Sunzu converted the winning penalty after three successive efforts had been missed in a long and nervy shootout that totalled 18 kicks.
But the goalless match might not have had to go to the shootout had Drogba not ballooned a 70th-minute penalty well wide to deny his team victory inside 90 minutes, repeating his miss in the 2006 final which the Ivorians lost to Egypt.
The loss was another near miss for the Ivorian's golden generation, who had been expected to win African football's top prize at the last four editions but failed every time.
Two of their English Premier League players - Kolo Toure and Gervinho - missed kicks in the shootout.
Zambia, who had gone into the game as underdogs, won over the 40,000 crowd in the Friendship Stadium in the Gabon capital with their positive play against a surprisingly timid Ivorian side who failed to take the initiative in the game.
After winning, the Zambian team held up banners remembering their side that diedin a air crash not far from the stadium in 1993 and whose memory they had honoured on the eve of the game.
At times, Zambia showed complete disdain for their star-studded opponents, with showy tricks on the ball and some clever routines although they also lived dangerously in defence.
Yaya Toure and substitute Max Gradel both went narrowly wide for the Ivorians but it was Drogba who could have been the hero after Isaac Chansa had pushed down Gervinho in the penalty area in the 70th minute and the Senegal referee Badara Diatta bravely awarded a penalty.
But Drogba hit his shot well over and then seemed to sink into a sulk for the rest of the game.
He was brave enough, however, to take the fifth penalty for the Ivorians in the shootout. The first 14 kicks were successfully converted before a reluctant Kolo Toure had his shot saved at 7-7 but Rainford Kalaba then missed for Zambia.
Gervinho, who also did not want to take a kick, then missed before Sunzu won the cup for Zambia, who had suffered two previous defeats in the 1974 and 1994 finals.
It was the seventh Nations Cup final to be decided on penalties.
 Zambia's players celebrate their victory |
Zambia's head coach Herve Renard
 |  | Zambia win their first Africa Cup of Nations title by beating tournament favourites Ivory Coast in a dramatic penalty shoot-out. |
Sunday, 12 February 2012
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23:23Goal.com rates the players on show as Herve Renard side win the 2012 Africa Cup on Nations in dramatic penalty shoot-out - 22:49The Copper Bullets have honoured the memory of their fallen 1993 team in the best way possible by winning their first ever continental title
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15:09The 51-year-old believes the opportune time has come for an Ivorian 'golden generation' which has failed several times to make amends by winning the continental prize -
14:12The Chipolopolo shot-stopper is not fazed by his impending showdown with one of Africa's best attackers as he prepares for the tournament's showpiece event on Sunday - As the final two left standing in the Cup of Nations get ready to face each other in Libreville on Sunday night, Goal.com looks at the battles that might help determine the victor
A pictorial journey through the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
Zambia captain Christopher Katongo promoted in the army due to his Afcon performances
'Greatest moment' Zambia captain hails side's path to Sunday's Nations Cup final
Charitable move Caf will give $150,000 to the families of the Port Said tragedy
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12:43
Everton's Phil Neville praises Steven Pienaar and Denis Stracqualursi after both net against Chelsea
Toffees' captain has praised the returning South African and the Argentine striker, both of whom bagged a goal in an impressive 2-0 victory over Andre Villas-Boas' side
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