Egypt is champion of Africa again after defending its title with a 1-0 win over Cameroon in the final at Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra tonight.

A goal deep into the second half from Mohamed Aboutreika was the difference as Egypt dominated its West-African opponent from start to finish to win the African Cup of Nations.

But it took a horrifying error from Cameroon captain and semi-final hero Rigobert Song to open the door for the Pharaohs which Indomitable Lions goalkeeper Carlos Idriss Kameni had previously kept shut with a string of fantastic saves.

In the 77th minute Song’s inability to control a long ball into the Cameroon half saw substitute Mohamed Zidan steal in to get a foot on the ball.

After winning a wrestle with Song inside the penalty area the Egyptian squared for Aboutreika who was left with a one-on-one finish against Kameni and duly slotted home.

The Egyptian bench exploded onto the team as the regular goal-scoring celebration of kneeling to prayer, then hands to the heavens ensued.

Cameroon were sparked by going behind but only managed to force one significant attempt on the target to trouble a flawless game from Esam El Hadary in the Egypt goal.

El Hadary saved from Stephane Mbia with a one-handed stop then watched Song head over the bar in the fourth minute of stoppage time as Cameroon threw everything forward.

Victory gives Egypt coach Hassan Shehata the status as one of only two coaches to have ever defended the Cup of Nations title successfully.

Egypt’s sixth trophy was well deserved as it peppered Kameni in the first half before controlling the balance of play in the second.

Confederation of African Football player of the tournament Hosny Abd Rabou hit the post with a diving header in the second half and followed it up with a rasping long-shot tipped around the post by Kameni soon after.

Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o was awarded the golden boot after the match despite being frozen out completely after a brilliant defensive effort from Egypt’s backline, Hany Said leading the way with a number of interceptions and crunching tackles.

Cameroon coach Otto Pfister was hamstrung by Alex Song's inability to run off an injury sustained in training and found himself out of substitutes early in the second half.  

Teo Pellizzeri, Ohene Djan Stadium, Accra

*Keep track of OleOle.com for more reaction to the Cup of Nations finale as well as unique pictures from the ground 

Egypt will defend its African Cup of Nations title in the championship game after routing Ivory Coast 4-1 in Kumasi tonight.

Two goals from in-form striker Amr Zaki sealed victory for Egypt after with Abdulkader Keita's goal in between offering a glimmer of hope to the Elephants. 

Zaki's first goal appeared to close the door on Ivory Coast in the 62nd minute before Keita struck back almost immediately.

But within five minutes Zaki produced a sweet strike of his own to restore Egypt's two-goal cushion.

Mohamed Aboutreika iced the win with a goal in stoppage time, while it was Ahmed Fathi who opened the scoring for Egypt and gave it a 1-0 half time lead.

Ivory Coast endured a miserable night with goalkeeper Boubacar Barry leaving the game injured and Kolo Toure, rushed back from injury, well off his game.

After disrupting what had been a flawless centre-back paring of Didier Zokora and Marc Zoro, it was the latter who made way for Toure.

Ivory Coast now go to the game most of the experts predicted would be the final, but is instead a third-place playoff with Ghana in Kumasi on Saturday.

Egypt now defends its crown against Cameroon in Accra on Sunday.  

Egypt overpowered Sudan with two late goals to substitute Mohamed Aboutreika closing out a 3-0 win.

The Pharaos are a perfect two from two and with a goal-difference of positive five sees them in a near-unbeatable position going into its final group game. The result all-but eliminates Sudan who would need to win by an unprecedented five goals against Cameroon while also needing a favour from Egypt against Zambia.

After Hosni Abd-Rabou had won and converted a penalty for Egypt on 27 minutes the game appeared to be lulling toward a 1-0 win in the second half. Sudan’s early efforts had produced 5 straight shots without an effort on target but the second half saw them unable to create any significant attacking chances.

But Aboutreika’s entry to the field signalled a new wave of Egypt attack and late in the match the substitute doubled the lead with a neat finish after nearly overplaying the ball.

He then fooled both the Sudan goalkeeper and backline by shooting to the near post when it looked like he would cross.

Hosni has converted two penalties from two among his three goals but was made to re-take his spot-kick tonight after encroachment on the first kick which went low to the left.

However his second penalty was even more clinical low to the right. 

Sudan and Nigeria remain the only teams yet to score at the Cup of Nations.