Drogba clinches marathon shoot-out win

Penalty shoot-outs decided the last two semi-finalists at the African Nations Cup with Ivory Coast winning an incredible contest 12-11 against Cameroon with Chelsea striker Didier Drogba scoring the winner.

In the other match, Nigeria defeated holders Tunisia 6-5 in a shoot-out.

After a goalless 90 minutes Ivory Coast went ahead through Bakari Kone but Albert Ze Meyong equalised five minutes into extra time and no other goals were forthcoming.

Amazingly each player on either side – including the goalkeepers – scored from the spot to leave it 11-11 as the order returned to the first takers once more.

However, Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’ blazed his effort over and Drogba scored.

Two-time winners Nigeria came back from the dead in their 16-penalty shoot-out to eliminate the defending champions.

Misses by Everton defender Joseph Yobo and Dynamo Kiev’s Yusuf Ayila had the Nigerians in dire trouble but Adel Chedli and Slim Benachour let them off the hook, and after West Brom striker Kanu’s sudden-death spot-kick made it 6-5, Riadh Bouazizi had his tame effort saved by Vincent Enyeama.

Tunisia also missed a penalty in normal time, when Clayton’s left-footed effort was parried to safety by the excellent Enyeama, before the goalkeeper covered himself in glory at the match’s climax.

Obinna Nsofor smashed a right-footed shot into the net from 15 yards for Nigeria’s opener, which was cancelled out by Karim Haggui’s header four minutes into the second half.