2012 Afcon Nations Cup winner is Zambia, Zambia won the African Nations Cup for the first time on Sunday, beating highly fancied Ivory Coast 8-7 in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw in the final. It was the first Nations Cup triumph for the Zambians after two previous final defeats. Ivory Coast might have won the game inside 90 minutes but captain Didier Drogba skied a 70th-minute penalty well wide. Zambia outplayed their opponents for large parts of the game to complete a sensational tournament which they had started as rank outsiders.