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Egypt to meet Cameroon

— Photo: AFP

BUBBLY BUNCH: The Egyptian players are ecstatic after the win over Ivory Coast.

KUMASI (GHANA): Egypt won its 2006 championship rematch with Ivory Coast on Thursday to return to the African Nations Cup final where it will face Cameroon in a game pitting two of the continents most successful countries.

Amr Zaki scored twice for Egypt in its 4-1 win, while Alain Nkong found the target midway through the second half to give Cameroon a 1-0 victory over host and four-time winner Ghana.

“Today we were in good form and showed why we should be playing in the final again,” Egypt assistant coach Shawki Gharib said.

Egypt will try to add to its record six African Cup titles while Cameroon will play for a fifth, making the final for the first time since 2002.

Ahmed Fathi put Egypt in front after 12 minutes off a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area, and Zaki headed home Ahmed Hassan’s cross to double the lead in the 62nd.

Lyon winger Abdulkader Keita’s solo effort pulled Ivory Coast to 2-1 in the 63rd, but Zaki added a goal in the 67th before Mohamed Zidan set up Mohamed Aboutreika who beat substitute goalkeeper Stephan Loboue from five metres in the 90th.

Sunday’s championship game between Egypt and Cameroon will be a rematch of their first round encounter which the former won 4-2. Ghana and Ivory Coast will play for the third place on Saturday.

Aggressive approach

Egypt employed an aggressive approach to frustrate Ivory Coast’s stars.

Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary thwarted Didier Drogba during a scramble in the penalty area in the 35th minute. He also twice brought off dramatic saves to stop Drogba headers in the 45th and 48th.

At Accra, Ghana started strongly, but Eric Addo failed to convert Sulley Muntari’s free kick in the fifth minute. Cameroon then took control.

In the 40th minute, Newcastle midfielder Geremi tried his luck from 40 metres with a free kick but the ball dipped to hit the bar. Cameroon finished with 10 men when defender Andre Bikey was ejected in injury time for pushing a medical worker.

Missing Mensah

Ghana was without suspended captain John Mensah, forcing it to drop midfielder Michael Essien to the centre of its defence. — AP

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