Zambia, Ivory Coast Romp into Nations Cup semi-final

Zambia and hot favorite, Ivory Coast have qualified for the semi finals of the Africa Cup of Nations, playing in Equitorial Guinea and Gabon. Both won with a similar goal margin: 3-0.

While Zambia knocked out Sudan, Ivory Coast defeated joint-host, Equitorial Guinea with two goals, scored in each half by Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba.

For Zambia, Stoppila Sunzu, Christopher Katongo and James Chamanga scored as Zambia overcame 10-man Sudan 3-0 Saturday to reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals after a 16-year absence.

Favourites Zambia were rarely under pressure and Sunzu took advantage of slack marking to nod them ahead on 15 minutes, Katongo scored the second midway through the second half and substitute Chamanga added a late third.

Sudan had Saif Eldin red carded 19 minutes into the second half when his team were trailing by one goal and his dimissal signalled the end of any hope the Jediane Falcons had of causing an upset.

“This is the match we were expecting, a difficult game,” said Zambia coach Herve Renard whose team will face either Ghana or Tunisia in the semi-finals in Bata on Wednesday.

The Frenchman added: “We went to sleep a little bit in the second half, then as so often Rainford Kalaba gave us some light, we won a penalty and they were down to 10 men, which made the job easier.

“All was not perfect today, but you have to be efficient, and in football that’s the most important thing.”

His Sudanese counterpart, Mohamed Abdulla Mazda, commented: “This tournament has been a success for us, we achieved our aim. Since 1976 we hadn’t got a point or scored a goal….

“Unfortunately we lost players to injury, and the penalty changed everything.

“We need more experience to reach the semi-finals.”

A tiny crowd dotted the 35,000-seat Estadio de Bata in this port city with the biennial African football showcase failing to woo fans in Equatorial Guinea or Gabon except when the co-hosts are playing.

The teams remembered the 74 Egyptians who died after a league match in Port Said last Wednesday by wearing black armbands and observing a minute’s silence while Confederation of African Football flags flew at half mast.

Zambia kept faith in the team that defeated co-hosts Equatorial Guinea to top Group A while Sudan made one enforced change from the side that edged Burkina Faso with Musab replacing injured defender Nagm Eldin.

It did not take Zambia long to break the deadlock through a glancing header from centre-back Sunzu and they would have been more than 1-0 ahead at half-time but for several brave saves by Akram.

The goal was a gift from the Sudanese defence as they stood still while Sunzu moved forward to connect with a Kalaba free kick and nod the ball in at the near post.

Another Kalaba free kick nearly led to another goal soon after the half-hour mark as he played the ball back into the path of onrushing Nathan Sinkala and Akram did well to parry a drive away at the expense of a corner.

Sudan were slow and predictable and battling to create chances in the eerie atmosphere and lost midfielders Ala Eldin and Nazar through injuries with Amer and Ramadan coming on.

After applying early second half pressure, Sudan suffered a double blow when Saif Eldin was sent off after getting a second yellow card for fouling Kalaba inside the box and Katongo scored almost immediately.

His penalty produced a fine save from Akram, who appeared well off his line when the kick was taken, but the captain struck the rebound into the net with his weaker left foot, and Chamanga curled the ball in with four minutes left.

Ivory Coast’s Didier Drogba had a penalty saved before scoring in each half as Ivory Coast triumphed 3-0 against Equatorial Guinea Saturday in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final.

The 33-year-old Chelsea striker struck with his right foot on 36 minutes and his head on 69 as the Elephants made it four wins in four matches and set up a semi-final date against Gabon or Mali in Libreville next Wednesday.

Yaya Toure completed the scoring nine minutes from full-time with a superb goal off a free kick, curling the ball over the wall and goalkeeper Danilo to send home supporters streaming to the exits.

It was a predictable outcome to a match that never scaled dizzy heights with the Ivorians fielding stars from some of the top leagues in Europe while the Equatoguineans relied heavily on Spanish lower-league footballers.

Ivory Coast made six changes from the vitual ‘B’ team that outplayed Angola to top Group B, but there were no starting places for English Premier League duo Salomon Kalou or Cheik Tiote.

Equatorial Guinea recalled Laurence Doe and Iban ‘Randy’ Iyanga after they completed one-match bans plus David Alvarez, and preferred Cameroon-born Narcisse Ekanga to compatriot Thierry Fidjeu up front.

Although 133 places separated them on the FIFA world rankings, the home team held their own early on, getting plenty of players behind the ball each time the Ivorians threatened.

But the ball was almost exclusively in the Equatoguinean half with Ivory Coast goalkeeper Boubacar Barry a mere onlooker and the visitors had a good chance to take the lead just before the half-hour mark.

Ben Konate fouled Didier Zokora just inside the penalty area only for Drogba to have his hard, well-placed spot kick superbly pushed away at the expense of a corner by Brazil-born Danilo.

The captain atoned soon after with a clinical finish although the goal came gift-wrapped from centre-back Fernando Rui, who had plenty of time to clear a long pass but let it slip past him.

Drogba darted forward, turned inside Rui and fellow central defender Doe and unleashed a low shot that beat Danilo and flew just inside the near post to give the Elphants a deserved 1-0 half-time advantage.

Equatorial Guinea won more possession in the early second-half exchanges before Gervinho squandered a great chance to double the Ivorian lead on the hour mark as he dribbled past several defenders before losing control.

Reigning African Footballer of the Year Toure took the free kick that led to the second goal with Drogba soaring above Doe and his flying header gave Danilo no chance.

Reported by AFP