There are two kinds of people currently following the Africa Cup of Nations: Those who are stunned by Zambia’s advance to the finals of Africa’s biennial championship and liars. Once the semifinals were set there were precious few observers (outside of certain wildly optimistic circles in Mali and Zambia, I suppose) who saw anything other than a Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire match-up for continental supremacy. Both have underachieved at this tournament in the past, but on a consistent basis put forward two of sub-Saharan Africa’s most talent-laden sides.
Zambia's Davies Nkausu runs with his national flag after the 1-0 vicotry over Ghana 1-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final. Photograph: Rebecca Blackwell/AP
Zambian football is possibly best known for a horrific tragedy in 1993 when a plane carrying the national football team exploded, killing all aboard. The crash took place as the team was departing Libreville, where their plane had stopped to refuel. As if on cue, Libreville is the setting for Sunday’s championship game. Chipolopolo (“The Copper Bullets”) are clearly riding a wave of emotion and feel like they are something of a team of destiny.
Still, emotion only takes a team so far and destiny only carries a team to the next game’s kickoff. I, like millions of fans of African football, cannot help but root for Chipolopolo (though I have been supporting Cote d’Ivoire throughout this tournament). But I suspect that Didier Drogba and company, who advanced by defeating Mali 1-0, will not be denied, talent will out, and Les Elephants will emerge victorious.