Go the Copper Bullets! Zambia won the Africa Cup of Nations today in dramatic fashion, beating Cote d’Ivoire in a penalty shoot-out after the game had ended 0-0. Not a matter of democracy of course (unless you want to credit new President Michael Sata as the inspiration for the win!) but for those of us who cut our teeth doing fieldwork in Lusaka and beyond it was truly moving to see Zambia raise the trophy in the town where, in 1993, a plane crash claimed the lives of a generation of player and coaches. Tonight is a great night to be in Lusaka…
Commiserations to Cote d’Ivoire, for whom, of course, victory would also have represented an important opportunity to move on from past tragedies.
For the story of the plane crash click here
For wonderful footage of Zambian fans preparing for the final, click here
For a full match report, click here
