AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS FINAL EGYPT v GHANA: EGYPT'S EXPERIENCE and all-conquering form at the Africa Cup Nations make the holders overwhelming favourites against a youthful Ghana in Sunday's final in Luanda.
Egypt chase an unprecedented third successive title against a side given little chance at the start of the tournament, when a number of key players failed to make the trip to Angola.
But Ghana’s youngsters have already shown a footballing maturity well beyond their years and stout defensive performances in their last two matches have seen them reach the final for the first time in 18 years.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Asamoah Gyan, scorer of the winning goals in both the quarter-final triumph over hosts Angola and Thursday’s semi-final victory over Nigeria. “We are a young team and not many people gave us a chance of making the final.”
Like Egypt, they play in a record eighth Nations Cup final.
Egypt have only ever lost once in a deciding match and have marched through their matches in Angola with clinical efficiency, highlighted by a 4-0 triumph over bitter rivals Algeria on Thursday.
Egypt have scored 14 goals in five successive wins, all in the coastal town of Benguela, as they first broke and then extended the record for unbeaten Nations Cup finals games to 18.
They move to the capital to play at Luanda’s November 11th Stadium where Ghana have already had three matches, and where the pitch conditions have been much poorer than in Benguela.
It is likely Egypt will do most of the attacking, although there is doubt over the fitness of striker Emad Moteab. Officials said they expected he would be ready for the final despite having to be replaced during the semi-final because of a hamstring injury.
Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac has sought to put out a team able to soak up pressure and capable of catching their opponents on the counter attack. “I told my players we were going to play to reach the final and not to produce beautiful football, only the result matters, it’s all about the result,” the Serbian-born coach said.
Ghana lost first-choice defenders John Paintsil and John Mensah to injury on the eve of the tournament, dropped key midfielder Sulley Muntari because of indiscipline and then saw captain Michael Essien have to limp out after just 45 minutes playing time in Angola after suffering a knee injury in training.
Sunday’s final could mark the end of the international career of several of Egypt’s golden generation, including captain Ahmed Hassan, who could become the first player to win four Nations Cup finals.
“We should return home with the trophy, we will do our best to achieve that aim,” Hassan said.
Meanwhile, Algeria and Nigeria will contest the Nation Cup third-fourth place play-off today in Benguela (4pm, Irish time, live on Eurosport BBC Red Button).
Algeria, who are in England’s World Cup group, ended their campaign in rather sombre fashion against Egypt on Thursday in a match that also saw three of their players – defenders Rafik Halliche, Nadir Belhadj and goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi – sent off.
Factfile
* Most of Egypt's squad play their club football in Egypt. Two players are with European clubs – defender Abdel Zaher El-Sakka with Turkish side Eskisehirspor and striker Mohamed Zidan with Borussia Dortmund.
*In contrast, nearly all of Ghana's squad reside in Europe, including, defender Hans Sarpei (Bayer Leverkusen), midfielder Michael Essien (Chelsea), and forwards Dominic Adiyiah (AC Milan) and Asamoah Gyan (Rennes).
* Sunday's final is the 27th of the continental championship, first played in 1957 in Sudan when Egypt won.
* Ghana have not reached the final since 1992 when they lost to Ivory Coast on penalties. Their last Nations Cup success was in 1982.
* Egypt striker Mohamed Diba El Attar scored all four goals in the first Nations Cup final and 11 years later was the referee for the 1968 decider, won by Congo-Kinshasa in Ethiopia.
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