Digital TV News

Africa Cup of Nations climaxes on ITV4

Thursday 9 February, 2012

By Kelvin Goodson

Pre-tournament favourites Ivory Coast take on surprise side Zambia in the final this Sunday.

The Africa Cup of Nations comes to a climax this Sunday when Ivory Coast and Zambia face each other in the final.

The match, which takes places in Libreville, the capital of host nation Gabon, will be shown live on ITV4, with coverage beginning at 6.30pm ahead of kick-off at 7pm.

Ivory Coast, the pre-tournament favourites with a squad containing the likes of Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure, will be expected to claim their second title.

However, Zambia, something on an unknown quantity ahead of the tournament, with only one two players plying their trade in Europe, have proven themselves to be the surprise side of this year’s competition.

Zambia, also known as Chipolopolo (the Copper Bullets), put another of the title favourites and four-times champions Ghana to the sword in a 1-0 semi-final win, striker Emmanuel Mayuka of Swiss side Young Boys coming off the bench to claim the 78th-minute winner.

The team emerged as a giant killer after despatching third favourites Senegal, represented by one of the Premier League’s top scorers in Demba Ba, 2-1 in the group stages of the competition.

Ivory Coast have lived up to their lofty billing thus far, with Les Éléphants cruising to the final with five straight wins and without having conceded a goal. Arsenal attacker Gervinho’s virtuoso strike saw them squeeze past Mali in their semi-final.

That the match is taking place in Libreville will be particularly poignant for a Zambia side taking part in its second Africa Cup of Nations final - 18 Chipolopolo players died when their plane crashed off the city’s coast in 1993.

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Photo by manbeastextraordinaire