Highlights

Gervinho’s Redemption

During the 2012 AFCON final, between Zambia and Cote D’Ivoire, Gervinho did not volunteer to take a penalty kick. He was nonetheless forced when the two teams were level after five spot-kicks. Unsure of himself, the player, then at Arsenal, stepped up and blasted over, damning his team to another ‘almost’ AFCON campaign. On Sunday night, Renard refused to place Gervinho in the same situation, substituting before extra-time ran out. Gervinho was too nervous to watch the penalty shoot-out, preferring to face the supporters and watch real-time reactions instead. When Copa Barry scored the winning penalty, a weight evidently lifted off Gervinho’s shoulders. He could finally forget the nightmare of 2012.