Zambia vs. Ivory Coast, 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Final: Elephants Waste Pair Of Free Kicks

Zambia are doing an excellent job of stopping the Ivory Coast from playing here, pressing them hard in the midfield and thereby severing the link between defence and attack. As a result, the underdogs are having the better of play, causing the Elephants to give up possession with long punts forward pretty much whenever they have the ball.

Unfortunately for Zambia, the Ivory Coast fields a player built to deal with that type of service, and Didier Drogba already made his presence felt, somehow winning the ball off two green shirts before being brought down by Nathan Sinkala in a reasonably promising position. The captain, however, wastes the opportunity, slamming a shot straight into the four-man wall. The Ivorians gets a second crack at it a few minutes later after Chrisamba Lungu brings Drogba down fairly close to the box, but Siaka Tiene gets no power on his near post shot and Kennedy Mweene can collect easily. It's still 0-0 in Libreville, 20 minute in.