African Cup of Nations - Memory of tragedy steered Zambia to win
The memory of 18 players killed in an air crash almost 20 years ago carried Zambia's current generation to their extraordinary African Cup of Nations triumph.
Coach Herve Renard called the 18 a "silent force", while victorious players explained the importance of honouring their dead compatriots, whose plane went down not far from the Libreville stadium where Zambia won the tournament against the much-fancied Ivory Coast on Sunday.
"It was very emotional and the memory of the players who died here played a big part," said midfielder Isaac Chansa.
"Once they said the final would be held in Gabon, we said this is ours this time around. It was written somewhere, you can see that from the miss of (Didier) Drogba."
Ivory Coast's captain squandered a penalty 20 minutes from time to allow Zambia to force the game into extra time and go on to win 8-7 on penalties at the end of a thrilling encounter.
"The players who were killed in the plane crash in Gabon was what was behind us and what was driving us through the tournament," said goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene. "We did not want to go home empty-handed."
Zambia's victorious squad left in a chartered plane for home on Monday, departing from the same airport where a Zambia air force plane had refuelled on its way to Senegal for a World Cup qualifier in March 1993, and then exploded shortly after take-off.
The 18 players killed made up a highly-rated national squad, with high hopes of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup, although leading forward Kalusha Bwalya was not on the flight as he was scheduled to join the team in Senegal after travelling directly from his Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.
Bwalya subsequently became the symbol of the rebuilding of Zambian soccer and is now the national football association president. His influence was evident as the players mobbed him on Sunday when he joined them in the post-match celebrations.
"There is no one who feels it more strongly than Kalusha," said Renard. "He has lived through it all these years."
Bwalya had spoken briefly to his players in the dressing room after Sunday's win but hid his emotion, Chansa said. "But we knew what he was feeling."
Renard said the symbolism of the final in Gabon had proved a powerful spur.
"Perhaps we were lucky in the draw when all our matches were scheduled in Equatorial Guinea," Renard said of the neighbouring country that co-hosted the tournament.
"The only way we could have got to Gabon was to play in the final and this focused the players. They wanted to come and honour their fallen comrades."
Just before leaving Libreville, winger Felix Katongo said: "We wanted to win the trophy to make the Zambian people proud and so those who died may rest in peace. Now their souls are at peace."
Comment 1 - 13 of 13
Fantastic great news well done Zambia!
How wonderful for a small nation to become big over night. I m so proud of the Zambia football team for winning this special cup for the first time ever. This is only the beginning for our mighty Zambia and has the saying goes, Good things happen to those who wait. Well done guys and its about time these big international clubs can see the Zambian talent on the field.
Well done Bazambia.. I did say that in the beginning of the tournament that Zambia would be victors..
I just over en over joyed History was made yesterday.
Big Big congratulations guys en more so to Kalusha Bwalya.. celebrate in peace guys..
en wish Chipolopolo all the best in their future football endeavours
Good Luck Boys
Says
Anderson Kiprono From Rumbek S.Sudan
good job, but are they going to be saying this if they win another cup in 20 years. Eventually it'd be like United citing Munich as the reason they won. Both are tragedies, yes, but you move on. Don't live in the past your whole life
Congratulations Zambia
Well done to them, but seriously, they could say this every time they win a match.
Well done Zambia!!! I have never seen a football match as tense as the last minutes when the penalties were taken - It's a shame that there was not much coverage in the European press about the tournament. I think in my mind, that yesterdays' final was the best final ever. Well done ivory Coast, The elephants for providing the half of the fun, but ultimately, it was written who the victor would be. Viva Zambia!!
Didier's not trumpeting anymore - it is only the Blues for him !
WEWE emmanuel,what is this about bantu and mandinka-hii ni football bana na haina mipaka usilete mambo ya gor mahia,luo union na abaluhya hapa
WELDONE CHIPOLOPOLO. YOU KILLED THE ELEPHANT, NOW WE CAN EAT THE CARCASS
BEL pa zed
Thank you Zambia and Ivory Coast for putting on such a spectacular match. Although the competition was fierce, we didn't see any foul play from the two sides. Well done Zambia for doing what you did when all the experts didn't think you were there!
This show very clearly that there is life after death,what i saw last night on television was shocking and a perfect way to remind us that we are not alone.Zambia team where 22 players on the field,the national team died on a plane crash very close to the Gabon stadium,the elephants are just too big to be fried by zambians on a night where everything means something for both teams....i am very proud of the ivorian,they never gave up the fight,they a champions and will be champions next year...God bless the dead.
Si tulisema hapa Kenya (didnt we predict here in Kenya) that the Bantus would win against the who?...... Mandinka?
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