Libya beat Zimbabwe  5-4 in a penalty shootout to clinch a place in the African Nations Championship final.

The sides cancelled each other out in a goalless 180 minutes, with Zimbabwe having the better of the chances but failing to take them.

It took Libya three attempts to win on penalties after missing their fifth and seventh spot-kicks after Zimbabwe had fallen behind with misses of their own.

But goalkeeper Mohamed Abdaula scored his side’s eighth kick to earn victory.

Libya will meet the winner of the semi-final between Ghana and Nigeria, which kicks off at 1830 GMT.
Javier Clemente (pictured) took over as Libya boss only in October last year but has already steered them through to a final – although the Spaniard’s side rode their luck a little against Zimbabwe.

The Warriors were the first to threaten, Ali Sadiki testing Abdaula with a 25-yard shot that the keeper tipped over the bar.

Seven minutes later Libya had a chance to the the lead but Mohamed Ghanudi sent a close-range header wide.
The only other noteworthy chance of the half fell to Simba Sithole but the Zimbabwean nodded his effort off target.

After the break, neither side were able to find their rhythm and the lone opportunity came seven minutes from the end when Zimbabwe’s Kudakwashe Mahachi smashed over from inside the box.

Extra-time was a cagey affair – in keeping with the pattern of the pervious 90 minutes – but Libya might have snatched victory when Elmutasem Abushnaf struck a shot between the legs of keeper George Chigova only for the ball to drift wide.

Instead, it needed penalties to separate the teams and it took Abdaula to hold his nerve to send Libya through at the third time of asking.