Hadary the hero as Egypt win African title

CAIRO (Eurosport.com) - Essam El-Hadary saved two spot-kicks as Egypt beat Ivory Coast 4-2 on penalties for their fifth African Nations title after a 0-0 draw in Cairo on Friday. During the match Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan had a contentious penalty saved while Didier Drogba missed an open goal and a spot-kick for Ivory Coast.

El-Hadary - whose record from penalties in normal time for Egypt is faced 10, saved six - blocked spot-kicks from Didier Drogba and Bakari Koné to give Egypt the trophy. Mohamed Aboutraika scored the winning kick for Egypt.

The Ahly star - who with the exception of a shaky display in the quarter final against DR Congo has been flawless this tournament - said “the last half an hour was the toughest”.

“If we’d conceded then it would have been awful, but thankfully I was blessed tonight”.

Coach Hassan Shehata - who had come under some criticism from sections of the supporters before the final - said that “now it is time to party!”

“And after that we will analyse the game and the tournament, but now we must savour the triumph”.

He continued “when Ahmed Hassan missed the penalty in extra time after we had a goal disallowed then, well, I thought we were cursed”.

Egypt’s 39 year-old striker Hossam Hassan said after the match:

“Thank God and congratulations to Egypt and Arabic football.”

“It’s so good that Egypt won, we are a big country and all the people wanted it.”

Ahly midfielder Mohamed Barakat believes that they “won this because of the fans.

“Not because of the players or the coach, but the supporters who have been here four to five hours before each game cheering us on and their prayers were answered”.

Scorer of the winning penalty Mohamed Aboutraika said of his penalty “It was so tough, I felt the weight of expectation 70 million Egyptians on my shoulders.”

Player-of-the tournament Ahmed Hassan stood up to bravely take the first penalty in the shoot-out, despite missing one in extra time, and said of the successful conversion:

“I had a million thoughts going through my head but thank God I wasn’t scared.

“It would have been a crying shame if these people had gone home disappointed”.

Sweeper and former Egypt bad-boy Ibrahim Said - who made a surprise return to the national team after a number of years absence through suspension then loss of form - said “Yes, the old Ibrahim is back! The supporters gave me the confidence to play like this”.

“It’s the first thing I’ve won with Egypt and, after five years out, it’s amazing.”

The Zamalek defender, who limped off injured in extra-time but ran El-Hadary a close second for man-of-the-match, added:

“I’m so happy. I love all these people”.

The hosts could have won it in extra-time when they were awarded a contentious penalty - which captain Ahmed Hassan duly missed - while Ivory Coast came close in normal time when Drogba skied an open goal. Egypt played without Mido, suspended for his pitchside outburst in the semi-final, but the Spurs striker still received a winners medal and standing ovation after the game.

The match started scrappily, both sides nervous and trying to establish themselves physically and Kanga Akalé booked as early as the second minute for shoving Mohamed Barakat off the ball.

Egypt had the better of the first half, dominating possession and almost drawing blood on 6 minutes, Amr Zaki springing the offside trap but dragging his half-volley wide.

Abdelzaher El-Sakka also had a great effort from a free-kick eight minutes later, with wide due Mohamed Abdelwahab and Barakat testing Jean-Jacques Tizié and Kolo Touré with some good crosses.

Egypt were rocked when their no-nonsense defender Wael Gomaa limped off early on with a thigh injury, but his replacement Ahmed Fathy of Ismailly played out of his skin out of position.

OPEN GAME

But Ivory Coast are a famed counter-attacking side, and Didier Drogba was kicking himself after miscontrolling a super Aruna Koné through ball, El-Sakka down to tackle and clear.

Semi-final hero Zaki - starting ahead of Mido, watching from the sidelines after being banned for the final by his own Federation - had a chance with a spinning volley, but the best opportunity came to Kolo Touré, slipping the ball wide from three yards out after a Kanga Akalé flick.

The second half was a more sprightly affair with Ivory Coast seeing more of the ball and Didier Drogba missing an open goal from three yards after Aruna Koné had set him up expertly.

The miss was shocking - reminiscent of Ronnie Rosenthal’s howler for Liverpool against Aston Villa in 1992 - but it did not deter the Ivory Coast from pushing for the winner late on.

CONTROVERSY

They looked stronger and fitter than the Egyptians, although the hosts could have nicked it with seven minutes remaining when Ahmed Hassan’s superb shot from outside the box was parried by Tizié, Mohamed Shawky sliding in and Zaki almost writing himself into history by putting the ball in the back of the net.

But Shawky was offside when the original shot was sent in, the celebrations were premature and Ivory Coast - who could have won it when Drogba again volleyed at a tight angle - survived for extra-time.

Extra-time provided as much drama, with Egypt awarded a debatable penalty. Mohamed Barakat took a heavy touch on the chest in the box, and while both he and Blaise Kouassi stretched for the ball and came together, it was not a penalty wity Kouassi getting enough on the ball.

But Tunisian referee Mourad Daami - once banned for a year by CAF for attempting to influence another official in a club match - awarded the spot-kick. Justice was done when Hassan - who had already scored two penalties in the tournament - sent his effort low onto the left-hand post.

Arsenal youngster Emanuel Eboué went close before the final whistle and it was left to Ahly stopper El-Hadary, who fulfilled his promise to dance on the goal frame should Egypt win, to be the hero for 80,000 fans in the stadium and a nation of 70 million.

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