On Sunday night, the football world witne sed one of the most romantic and inspiring stories the game has ever produced. Zambia winningthe African Cup of Nations is not onlymeaningul as an against all odds kind of tale, but also because the Chipolopolo achieved their greatest succe s in their footballing history in the same city where a generation J.J. Wilcox Jersey was wiped out nearly two decades before.Before Sundays final, Libreville was signicant to Zambians as the city where one of footballs greatest tragedies occurred with the 1993 Zambian air disaster, a crash which killed the entire Chipolopolo squad. This atrocity has always been the primary connotation with the Zambian national football team. However, following their heroic victory over favourites Ivory Coast in the final, Zambia will now be remembered for their glorious victory, as well as the awful events of 1993.In truth, Zambias shock succe s was thebrightest of highlights in what was otherwise a largely uninspiring tournament. A mixture of low quality matches, poor playing surfaces and empty stadiums had created a flat atmosphere for the build up to Ryan Shazier Jersey the final. The biggest disappointment,and an i sue that really needs to be addre sed at future ACONs, was the sparse attendancesat almost every game. Ticket prices were fat too expensive for the inhabitants of Equatorial Guinea, one of the co-hosts, as the countrys average income falls well below the Five thousand franc asking price.The story on the pitch was really about how the fancied teams, with the exception of Ivory Coast, di sapointed, and fell well below expectations. Senegal and Ghana in particular, were two teams that many expected a lot from. Although the latter made it to the semi-final stage, the Black Stars never looked convincing. Senegals campaign was nothing short of a disaster, losing all three games resulting in a group stage exit, along with another favourite, Morocco, and outsiders Libya, Angola, Burkina Faso, Niger, Guinea and Botswana.The quarter-final stage saw the elimination of the co-hosts Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, with the former being dismi sed 3-0 by Ivory Coast, and the latter suffering the heartbreak of an exit on penalties to Mali. Zambia continued to catch the eye with a 3-0 victory over Sudan, and Ghana stumbled through against Tunisia, benefiting from an error by goalkeeper Aymen Mahtlouthi to secure their pa Jerome Bettis Jersey sage to the last four.The semi-final lineup pitted Ghana against the overachieving Zambia, and Mali against Ivory Coast. The days first match saw the Chipolopolo continue their fantastic run with a superb 1-0 victory over Ghana. Emmanuel Mayukas late winner securedhis sides ticket to the final and sent his country into raptures. Their opponents forAfricas crown would be the Ivory Coast, after they narrowly beat a brave Malithrough Gervinhos strike. Mali, although including playersof the calibre ofBarcelonas Seydou Keita, punched above their weight and went home delighted with their third place finish, Javon Hargrave Jersey a feat achieved after beating a lackluster Ghana 2-0 in the 3rd/4th playoff.For many, the final was a foregone conclusion. Ivory Coast had yet to concede, and scored nine goals on their way to the final. Zambia though, had the memory of 1993 as a poignant motivator. The final was a tight, uneventful affair, and provided little indication of the inspirational tale that would ultimately be created. After a goalle s 120 minutes, the tie was settled on a thrilling penalty shoot-out. When Gervinho blasted his penalty over the bar, Stoppila Sunzu slotted his home to completeZambias fairytale.In a week when football Ben Roethlisberger Jersey headlines have been dominated by negativity, Zambias victory is a timely reminder of what sport is all about. Many believe their victory was written in the stars. Amongst those stars, the Zambia team of 1993 will be looking down with pride on 2012s champions of Africa.African Cup of Nations 2012Winner: ZambiaRunner -up: Ivory CoastThird: MaliFourth: GhanaPlayer of the Tournament: Chris Katongo