It’s probably not the stuff-of-dreams for those interested in the big names of European football in a contest against what many believe will be the Ivory Coast (the game is in progress as of writing), but the narrative here is about as emotional as you’ll find in sports.

In 1993, the Zambian first team died when their rickety Zambian Air Force Buffalo DHC-5D crashed into the ocean just outside Libreville, Gabon, the host nation of the current ACN tournament, and the site of this year’s final. An engine caught on fire and an under-slept pilot switched off the wrong one.

In the AfCon tournament the following year, the Zambian replacement team made a miracle run to the finals, only to lose to Nigeria (see above). In the intervening years, their fortunes have been decidedly more mixed.

Jonathan Wilson penned an excellent piece today on the rise of Zambia in recent years, whom he ascribes to the current president of the Zambian football federation:

Look at all that is good about Zambian football and you will see the hand of Kalusha Bwalya. He scored a hat-trick when Zambia beat Italy at the 1988 Olympics. After the air-crash of 1993 had wiped out almost the entire team, he was the rallying point the new side was built around. And, as Zambia look to reach their first Cup of Nations final since that remarkable renaissance side of 1994 in Wednesday’s semi-final against Ghana, it is Kalusha, now president of the football federation, who drew the blueprint.

While heartwarming, it should be noted that relatives of the victims of that crash are still awaiting 19 years-on for an explanation as to why that plane was ever allowed to leave Zambia.