Zambia Champions!

Zambia are 2012 Africa Cup of Nations champions after beating Ivory Coast in the final

Zambia 0, Ivory Coast 0

Zambia win 8-7 on penalties

Zambia African Champions!

I can’t sleep; this is probably the greatest football match I have ever seen, well definitely the greatest evening of football I have ever experienced. And I have had some pretty crazy nights… Liverpool and AC Milan in 2005 immediately springs to mind, followed quickly by Arsenal at Milan in 2008… those were crazy nights!

But they have nothing on this Zambia/Ivory Coast final to be honest.

Well done to Zambia. The fairytale is complete, and what a fairytale it is. 19 years after the Zambia’s national team was decimated on the shores of Libreville in what was the country’s darkest ever episode, the same location has brought Zambia’s perhaps its greatest ever moment.

You can’t make such things up – this script wasn’t written by any man, it was written by the gods.

And the thing is, there was no fluke about it, no qualms and no quarrels that Chipolopolo deserved their famous triumph. Zambia tonight were much the better team and thoroughly deserved their win.

It’s one of those things you can’t explain… Zambia’s approach – they were crazy! It was as if they were possessed by a confidence that this was their night. They didn’t care, they didn’t have any fear – they were a team of destiny.

From the first whistle Zambia were going straight for Ivory Coast, and not just going for them, but the were dribbling, smiling and having some serious fun.

And remember this was a team that was totally outplayed by Ghana in my opinion in the semis, and it is for that reason I gave Zambia absolutely no chance against Ivory Coast. I thought they would be run over physically. I thought there was no way they would be able to cope. I thought it would be a massacre!

But I clearly underestimated the power of the spirit of Zambia. Belief, determination and teamwork can overcome anything.

Well done Chipolopolo!

Ausi Tholoana, The Football Guru

In Maseru, Lesotho