Ghana 0 - Zambia 1

Its all over!!! The Black Stars of Ghana's trophy drought still continues as they missed the chance break their 30 year jinx after they were bundled out by Zambia at the semi-final stage at the on-going African Cup of Nations courtesy a 77minute strike by substitute Mayuka. The Chipolopolo striker peels off John Boye before sending a curling shot beyond the reach of Kwarasey. The Black Stars would now compete for the third place on Saturday. Welcome to our live update..... MATCH FACTS Both of Zambia�s ACN semi-final wins have seen them score four goals (4-2 v Congo in 1974 & 4-0 v Mali in 1994). Zambia�s other three appearances at this stage have seen them lose in 90 minutes. Three of Ghana�s six semi-final wins have gone to extra time. Zambia have scored at least once in 14 of their last 15 ACN games. Ghana�s Andre Ayew is the most regularly fouled player in the tournament, winning 5.75 fouls per game. Zambia�s Nathan Sinkala has made the highest number of interceptions per game in the tournament (6.5). TEAM NEWS Zambia are at full strength ahead of the semi-final and looking to captain Chris Katongo and Young Boys striker Emmanuel Mayuka for inspiration as they seek to upset the odds. Ghana have had one less day to prepare for the contest and a delay in a flight caused disruption to their training plans on Monday. Ghana: Kwarasey; Inkoom, Lee Addy, John Mensah, Boye; Annan, Boateng; Dede Ayew, Asamoah, Jordan Ayew; Gyan Zambia: Mweene; Kasonde, Sunzu, Himoonde, Musonda; Nkausu, Sinkala; Chansa, Kalaba; Katongo, Chamanga MANAGER QUOTES Herve Renard: "They have been the best team in Africa in the past few years; they almost reached the World Cup semi-final. We will need something special to beat them." Goran Stevanovic: "Playing in the final is the least everyone expects from us. We relish being among the favourites and there is additional pressure on the team because I have told them many times that Ghana must win the Cup of Nations for the first time in 30 years." Both teams head out for the opening semi-final. A bit of rain falling overheard. Zambia in orange, Ghana in white. ...................................................................... 1min: Zambia gets the game underway 3min: Early chance for Zambia... Zambia are underdogs, but they are moving forward with some menace early on. Chansa with the shot that deflects well over the bar for a corner. 4min: A short one taken to the bye-line...this is dangerous for the Ghanaians but they have weathered the storm. Sunzu catches Mensah with a late tackle in the box, but no whistle from the referee. Rain continues to fall. 5min: Ghana break forward but the build-up fizzles. Gyan just bundled off the ball from Inkoom's pass as Ghana try to piece together their first meaningful move of the match 6min: The Zambians on the attack again...they win another corner 8min: PENALTY to GHANA...A cross from the right flank surprisingly misses everyone in the Zambian 18 yard box and falls to Kwadwo Asamaoh who is taken out by Nkausu with a late challenge. It was a soft penalty, but it has been given. 9min: SAVED by Mweene! He dives to his left to make the save from Gyan. Fine diving stop. Wasn't the most powerful of penalties. 11min: A corner to Ghana from the saved penalty is wasted. Asamoah hits a long-range shot which forces another save from Mweene. He is having an exceptional match in this match so far. 12min: Ghana breaks forward again but Kasonde trips Boye who tried to go solo. He dribbled past three Zambian players before he was hacked down. First Yellow card flashed in the game. 13min: Ghana piling on the pressure now as they find their stride in the pouring rain. Kalaba takes a long throw-in before Ayew sees a shot blocked.... ....Ayew darts between two Zambia players, but hacked down. Gets the decision right on the edge of the Zambia box. Free-kick. Wasted 14min: Crazy challenge by John Boye on Chansa. The Ghanaian is booked for a silly foul and is out of the final if Ghana gets there. Really silly because Chansa wasn't going anywhere. 16min: The confidence level of the Zambian goalie is really high this afternoon as he tries some antics but Mweene is almost caught in possession. He does just enough to scramble the ball clear with his big right boot. Dangerous play it must be said. 17min: Inkoom is today proving to be a bit of a thorn in the side of Zambia with some decent work out wide. So far, so good though for Zambia, who have not shipped any goals. 18min: Zambia trying to pick out space. Not easy with Ghana holding a decent line at the back. Good possession play by the Zambians...a shot...but easily held by Larsen. 19min: Zambia coach Herve Renard is soaking wet in a white shirt. He is none too happy with his team so far. Demanding more.Plenty of noise from the Ghana fans. 21min: Another great chance for Ghana. This must be it...but Gyan can't get enough power on the shot as Mweene takes the loose ball. Fine run and cross by Ayew. 22min: Zambia keeping possession again. Looking very neat and tidy on the ball, but can they carve out a change...Derek Boateng with a crunching tackle on Chamanga. That was a real bone cruncher. Just making sure the Zambia forward knows he is around, i guess. 24min: The Black Stars trying to get Ayew on the ball as much as possible, but Zambia are again back in numbers to disrupt play 26min: Chansa with a lovely cross from out wide. Superb delivery, but Boye is there to head behind. Its a goal-kick because the ball crossed the line before coming into play again. ....Ghana in possession 28min: ...Lee Addy looks for Gyan with the long ball. The striker wins the header, but it falls into the path of Mweene. Not the most clever ball in the world. Needs to be better than that by Ghana. 29min: Boye steps up to play Chamanga offside. A dangerous game by Ghana. Has to get those offside moves spot on playing a high line. 30min: Addy with the chipped ball forward, but no takers for Ghana as the opposition defence clear the danger. 31min: Andre Ayew has the ball, takes too much time and is taken out of the game late 30 yards from the Zambia goal. Free-kick to be taken by Andre Ayew.... 32min: ...Lovely delivery by Andre Ayew to his brother Jordan Ayew and he must bury this, but has completely missed his volley from 10 yards out. Golden chance for Ghana, but not taken. 33min: Game continues to exude an air of unpredictability in the rain as Zambia has a super chance at the other end. Katongo is presented with the chance from 10 yards out. Knocks the shot wide of goal. Best chance of the match so far. Kantongo by the way is chasing his fourth straight goal in this tournament. 35min: Ghana in possession...Samuel Inkoom tries to cut a dash into the area before Sinkala makes the tackle. Corner to Ghana. 36min: Andre Ayew with the corner. Mweene comes to collect, but misses the loose ball. Zambia hack it clear. Dangerous times for Zambia. 38min: Derek Boateng has possession of the ball in midfield but oh no. He's foul...feels the full force of a late boot by Katongo. Lucky to avoid a booking 39min: Ghana on the attack. Gyan controls the ball neatly and passes to Asamoah. But he sees an effort deflect wide of goal. Fine run and shot, but Zambia do enough again to thwart the midfielder. 41min: Another attack by Ghana breaks down again.... ....Gyan slips the ball out to Inkoom, who overhits the cross by some margin. Ball flies out of play on the other side of the pitch. 43min: Amazing the way the Black Stars are squandering chances. Zambia's Sunzu clatters the ball away with Ghana again threatening. Fine defending by Sunzu. Gyan with the header seconds later, but Sunzu is there to put off the Ghana forward. 44min: Sunzu needing a spot of treatment after taking a sore one when he landed on the deck.... ....We're into 1minute of added time. 46min: Ghana on the move...again. But full-back Samuel Inkoom takes his eyes off the ball as it goes off his hand. Referee Mohammed brings the first half to an end. It remains 0-0 at the interval. Finely poised ahead of the second period... 46min: Ghana gets the second half underway...and break forward oh but the attack breaks down 48min: By the way, Zambia's Emmanuel Mayuka has been thrown into the action Zambia at the outset of this second period. He has the chance to impress here and now. What would Zambia give for a goal from him. 49min: One goal might win this goal for either side. Jordan Ayew gets the ball and goes around a defender and takes a shot at goal and brings out a decent diving save from Mweene, who has to keep his eye on the ball. 51min: Jordan Ayew again....seems like he has taken over from his senior bro, Dede. Skips away from an orange shirt before he is brought down. Free-kick to Ghana and another yellow card to the Zambian... ...John Boye heads over the bar from six yards out. Wasn't easy as the ball bounced in the box before he nodded over 52min: The Zambians launch an attack but Musonda can only pick out Boateng as Ghana break up a possible Zambia attack. 53min: Zambia on the attack again. This time from the left hand side of Ghana's defence. A fair bit of pressure to produce here as Boye is forced to knock the ball behind for a corner to Zambia. 54min: Zambia certainly looking as likely to score as Ghana at this point in time. The first goal will be vital here 55min: Ghana breaks forward. Its a ding-dong battle now with the game swinging from one end to the other...Kwadwo Asamoah tries to pick out Gyan in the box, but he has been well looked after by Sunzu. The high ball has not really been up Gyan's street in this match 57min: Zambia lose possession. Jordan Ayew picks up the ball, he has options but he appears undecided. He finally gooes for goal from the edge of the box, but his shot swerves over the bar. Well over 60min: Still deadlock; an hour gone in this match. Ghana's Inkooom tries to go forward but is taken out late. Free-kick to Ghana... 61min: Delivery from Andrew Ayew, dangerous for the Zambians but Gyan can only nod harmlessly over under pressure. A goalkick to Zambia 62min: Ball back in play. Its a midfield tussle. Yellow card to Ghana. Derek Boateng cynically brings down Katongo. It was a knee in the back of the Zambian. 63min: Kosonde is replaced. Chisamba has been given the nod to enter the fray 64min: Gyan doing a lot of running up front. Tireless running by the Ghana forward who creates a chance out of nothing. He's in between two defenders, but does well to shoot...straight into the hands of the Zambian goalie. Mweene thump the ball up the park 65min: Ball doesn't go far. Ghana wins a corner...taken by Andre Ayew is fisted clear by Mweene 67min: Inkoom with a cross to the back post. Missed by Mweene, but Gyan heads wide. Inches wide from the forward with John Boye also rising. So close 68min: Chansa is the latest to go into the Referee's book. He clatters into Annan. Five bookings so far in this match. Meanwhile, Mensah is on the deck and not looking too good... ....Ghana down to ten men as the Black Stars try to work out who is the right man to replace Mensa 72min: Substitution (Ghana) John Mensah can't continue the game so Isaac Vorsah comes in to replace. The captain's band is handed over to Asamoah Gyan 74min: The hunt for an opening goal continues. Ghana continue to keep possession, but they have not opened up this Zambian defence 75min: Surprise, Surprise. Gyan is given the hook for Ghana as Tagoe takes over from the striker. Bit of a surprising decision. Meanwhile, Andre Ayew is on the deck and in need of some treatment. He gets back to his feet. The Ghana bench look a picture of tension 77min: GOOOAAALLLLL(Zambia) Mayuka scores for Zambia. The underdogs have the lead. Would you believe it. The Zambia substitute peels off John Boye before sending a shot curling beyond Kwarasey from 22 yards out.... ...A 1-0 lead for Zambia with just over 10 minutes remaining 79min: Mweene comes to take another ball as Andre Ayew rose in the area. Suddenly Ghana require a goal, and their need is pressing... Ghana throwing bodies forward now... 80min: Mayuka tries to repeat the trick, but he fails to get the desired power on the shot as Larsen clutches the shot with some ease 82min: Asamoah's shot cracks off an opposition player and flies over the bar. Corner to Ghana 83min: RED CARD FOR BOATENG! Ghana are down to 10men. Boateng is off for a second booking. Late challenge on an orange shirt speeding at him. A harsh decision, but the red card is out 85min: Ghana will have to get the job done now with only ten men. Can they haul themselves back into this contest. Must be a huge question mark over Ghana's prospects... ...Herve Renard's side have spent the second period having to defend, but they have scored with the one chance that fell to them. So close now 87min: Muntari takes over from Andre Ayew for Ghana. Last throw of the dice for Ghana 89min: Great chance for Ghana...Inkoom danced into the area, but Musonda makes the tackle. Another attack again. This time very Close from a corner! Vorsah seems set to score but his goal-bound effort is blocked by Zambian defenders! They were queuing up there! Frantic defending by Zambia... ...Appeals for a penalty, but not given as Zambia scramble the ball clear. Four minutes to be added to the match. 90+1min: Its been wave and wave of attack from 10man Ghana. But the Zambians are holding fast. A cross into the Zambian 18 yard box. Mweene given the decision as he nudges the ball away his first. Time the real enemy now for Ghana 90+3min: Another attack from Ghana...but the Zambians clear their lines...AGAIN. 90+4min: It is all over! Zambia complete a 1-0 win over favourites Ghana. What a result for Zambia, who are through to Sunday's final. They will face Ivory Coast or Mali in the final.