Egypt are African champions, again •Win cup 6th time

By Our Reporter - 11.02.2008

DEFENDING champions, Egypt, on Sunday won a record sixth Africa Cup of Nations after defeating hard-fighting Cameroun by a lone goal. The only goal of the game came in the 77th minute, with Mohamed Aboutrika pushing home a pass from Mohamed Zidan after a mistake by Cameroun’s Rigobert Song.

The Pharaohs (popular name of the Egyptian national side) become the first side to win back-to-back titles twice, and Hassan Shehata only the second coach to win successive trophies.

Egypt had much the better of the first half, creating most of the scoring chances with their mobility. Cameroun again based their game on physical power, taking a defensive approach that supplied few openings to lone striker, Samuel Eto’o.

Mohamed Aboutrika came close on 13 minutes, with a 35-yard shot that was pushed around the post by Cameroun goalkeeper, Carlos Kameni. Two minutes later, the Indomitable Lions (the name of the Camerounian national side) were forced to make a substitution, with Gilles Binya replacing Alexandre Song, who was carrying an injury from the previous game.

Cameroun defender, Geremi, forced a save from Essam Al-Hadari from a free-kick, but the Pharaohs almost took the lead seconds later. Hadari’s clearance found Emad Moteab, whose 15-yard shot was parried brilliantly by Kameni, but into the path of Mohamed Aboutrika, whose shot was too high.

Nine minutes before half-time, a ball over the Cameroun defence found Moteab inside the area, Kameni made a fine save from the shot, and it remained goalless.

Cameroun came back from the break with purpose, causing the tempo of the match to increase considerably, but Egypt quickly took control of the game again.

Kameni had to make two more fine saves, from a close-range Amr Zaki shot, then from Hosni Abd-Rabou’s 25-yard cracker that he punched away.

The Pharoahs continued to pile on pressure, and Abd-Rabou hit the post with a header on 61 minutes.
With 13 minutes remaining, Egypt finally got thegoal they deserved. Cameroun captain, Rigobert Song, was punished for untidy defending, losing a tussle with substitute Zidan.
Zidan pushed the ball along the edge of the box into the path of Aboutrika, who had a simple finish from 15 yards.
As Egypt celebrated, Song covered his face with his shirt, knowing that he should have cleared the ball away.
Song headed over the bar in stoppage-time, but there was to be no redemption for the defender, in his seventh Nations Cup.