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Zambia8 : 7
Cote d'Ivoire 
Ghana0 : 2
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Mali
 
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 NEWSElephants set up Zambia final 02-08-2012
Ivory Coast edged Mali 1-0 in Libreville on Wednesday night thanks to a great solo goal from Gervinho, setting up a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations final between the Elephants and Zambia. This semifinal was a hard fought affair between two combative, physical teams, but in the end Ivory Coast just had that little bit more in the tank and were able to edge out the Eagles, though they needed an inspirational strike from Gervinho to do it. The match got off to a good start with Ivory Coast dominating possession early on and forcing Mali to commit fouls around their penalty area. The Elephants came close to opening the scoring in the sixth minute when Siaka Tiene delivered an in-swinging free kick from the right but Didier Drogba’s glancing header crashed against the upright. Two minutes later, Ivory Coast won a free kick just outside the penalty area; Drogba managed to get his dipping shot on target but fortunately for Mali the ball deflected off goalkeeper Soumbeila Diakite’s face after taking an awkward bounce. The Ivorians continued to apply pressure on the Malian defence in the 16th minute with Salomon Kalou playing the ball across for Yaya Toure, but his first time shot rattled the post, while Gervinho headed wide from a Tiene cross a minute later. Then the Eagles got their first chance of the match in the 20th minute with Cheikh Diabate using his strength to carry the ball into the box, but his teammate Mustapha Yatabare got in his way and Ivory Coast were able to clear the danger. However, Ivory Coast were back on the attack a minute later with an individual run by Kalou but the defenders managed to get him off balance and he sent his shot wide. Drogba almost created a goal out of nothing in the 32nd minute when he received the ball on the edge of the area and managed to shrug off two defenders on his way into the box, but the Chelsea striker dragged his shot across goals. Just when it seemed like the two sides would go into the break with the deadlock intact Gervinho produced a moment of individual brilliance in the final minute of the half. The Arsenal striker beat Ousmane Berthe with a brilliant turn inside his own half before racing down the left flank and all the way into the box to beat Diakite with a right-footed shot at the far post. The second half did not start as frantically as the first half but yet again it was the Ivorians who threatened to extend their lead in the 66th minute when Yaya Toure picked out Kalou on the edge of the box but his powerful left-footed strike was tipped over the crossbar by Diakite. Then Mali had their best chance to score the equaliser in the 73rd in a move that was started by a surging run from Cheick Diabate and the ball eventually found Yatabare on the right, but he fired his shot just over the crossbar. The action was at the other end three minutes later when Drogba beat Cedric Kante for pace to break into the penalty area but his shot was blocked by the goalkeeper and cleared before Gervinho could get to the rebound. Ousmane Berthe was inches away from scoring a spectacular own goal in the 82nd minute when he connected with a Tiene freekick, but was fortunate to watch the ball flying just over the crossbar. Mali then tried to push men forward in the closing stages of the match and left themselves vulnerable to counterattacks but in the end Ivory Coast were able to hold on to reach the final. |
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