LEAD: Zambia stun Ghana 1-0 to make Africa Cup of Nations final

By Peter Auf der Heyde Feb 8, 2012, 18:10 GMT

Libreville, Gabon - Zambia stunned favourites Ghana 1-0 on Wednesday to qualify for the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Emmanuel Mayuka scored the only goal of the game in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, with a curling shot from the edge of the area in the second half.

Ghana dominated but Asamoah Gyan saw his penalty saved by Kennedy Mweene early on and they ended the match with 10 players after Derek Boateng was sent off for a second bookable offence.

It will be Zambia's third appearance at the final of the showpiece of African football, having last played in the championship match in 1994.

The second semi-final between Ivory Coast and Maili was set for later Wednesday in Libreville.

Sunday's final is also in Libreville and will bring back memories of 1993 when virtually the entire Zambian national team perished when a plane carrying them to a World Cup match crashed into the sea 500 kilometres from the Gabonese capital.

Zambia's opponent's for Sunday's final will be determined later Wednesday in the second semi-final between Ivory Coast and Mali in Libreville.

In front of yet another disappointingly small crowd, both sides missed several good scoring opportunities in the first half, with Gyan even failing to score from the penalty spot in the seventh minute, as Mweene dove to his left to palm the low shot away.

A few minutes later, Mweene again got the better of Gyan, as he saved his long-range shot.

Ghana then dominated play and should really have gone ahead as Gyan and Andre Ayew wasted several good opportunities.

Ten minutes from the break Christopher Katongo was sent through by Rainford Kalaba, but the Zambian captain pulled his shot wide after slipping on the wet ground.

It all went horribly wrong for the Black Stars in the second half, as Mayuka gave the Chipolopolo the lead in the 78th minute with his curling low 17m shot into the net next to the right post.

Derek Boateng was sent off with six minutes to go after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Isaac Chansa.

Ghana still came close to equalizing in the dying moments but Ayew and Samuel Inkoom were denied by some resolute Zambian defending.