Zambia would then go on to face Ivory Coast, the highest ranked African team on the FIFA table. It had seemed a daunt- ing task with no one predicting an eventual victory for the Zambians. But they withstood the barrage of attacks from a team that is as potent as any other in the world.
For 90 minutes they battled. Ivory Coast had the game handed to them when they were awarded a penalty kick, which skipper Didier Drogba bungled to cause a death knell for the Ele- phants.
Still goalless at the end of extra time, both teams went for the mandatory shootout, exhausting the five first kicks without