CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Zambian football will on Friday commemorate the 30th anniversary of the plane crash that wiped out almost of all the national team, mourning the loss of a golden generation that players say inspired the nation to later victories.
Eighteen footballers were among 30 people killed when a Zambian air force plane crashed off the coast of Gabon, shortly after a refuelling stop on a journey to Dakar, where Zambia were to play a World Cup qualifying match against Senegal.
Engine failure after takeoff from Libreville caused the plane to crash into the sea, killing all on board including the coaches, support staff and crew. Yet just two months later, Bwalya led a reconstituted team to victory in a World Cup qualifier against Morocco, curling a freekick over the wall and into the net to set off ecstatic celebrations.
A year after the crash, the team were surprise finalists at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia, losing 2-1 to Nigeria.
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