Ghana paid the penalty as Asamoah Gyan saw a penalty saved before Zambia scored with their only attack of the second half in a 1-0 win in their African Cup of Nations semi-final.
Zambia substitute Emmanuel Mayuka completed a smash and grab win for the underdog as he tucked the ball beyond Ghana keeper Adam Kwarasey from 22 yards on 79 minutes to complete a miserable day for the 2010 World Cup quarter-finalists.
It could have been all different for Ghana if Gyan had tucked away after Davis Nkausu had taken out Kwadwo Asamoah with a late challenge in the box on eight minutes.
Mweene dived to his left to complete a fine save. Ghana huffed and puffed, but could not blow Zambia’s house down with Mayuka’s goal enough to provide Zambia’s gateway to the final where they bid for a fourth win in the African Cup of Nations final.
Derek Boateng was red carded after picking up a second yellow card in the final 10 minutes, but the writing was already on the wall for Ghana at that stage.
Zambia will return to Libreville for the final 19 years after their national squad when a plane crashed heading towards Dakar for a World Cup qualifier with Senegal.
Eurosport
