Egypt won the African Cup of Nations for the third time in a row on Sunday after substitute Mohamed Gedo scored in the 85th minute to earn a 1-0 victory over Ghana in the final. Tournament debutant Gedo curled in a shot from within the area to give Egypt its record seventh title. “From the first day we arrived we said we were here to win the tournament,” Egypt assistant coach Shawki Garib said. “And we did it, even if it was harder than in 2006 and 2008.” No other team has won the biennial tournament three consecutive times. Egypt, which hasn't played in a World Cup since 1990, will again miss the showcase tournament this summer. Unbeaten in 19 matches in the African Cup, the team lost to Algeria last November in the playoffs for a World Cup place in South Africa. Egypt scored 15 goals and conceded just two on its way to the title and secured victories over four World Cup qualifiers: Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria and Ghana. Ghana, which had been hoping to earn its first continental crown since 1982, dominated for most of the match but failed to create clearcut chances. “We played carefully, we were very patient and methodical,” Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac said. “We played to score and we controled the match. It was unfortunate to concede a goal.” Egypt played without suspended striker Mahmoud Fathallah while Ghana was at full strength with goalkeeper Richard Kingson overcoming a minor hamstring injury to start. Meeting in the final for the first time in 53 years, both teams made a cautious start, scrapping for possession in midfield and struggling to create chances. Ghana defender Samuel Inkoom tried his luck with a free kick from 30 meters in the eighth minute, while Egypt captain Hamed Hassan fared no better with a long-range effort five minutes later which flew over the bar. Ghana defended neatly and were able to move swiftly into the Egypt half. However, Ghana failed to really support its strikers. Asamoah Gyan, who scored Ghana's winners against both Angola and Nigeria in the previous stages, went close in the 52nd minute with a perfectly curled free kick that was tipped over the bar by El Hadary. Egypt finally broke the deadlock against the run of the play when Gedo, the top striker of the tournament with five goals, was perfectly set up on the left side of the box after a nice one-two and scored with a curling shot past Kingson at the far post. The team's success was celebrated loudly in Cairo, with roving bands of revelers hitting the streets, banging drums, blasting air horns and setting off fireworks. CAF blasted over Togo ban The Confederation of African Football (CAF) was in the eye of a storm Sunday over its controversial decision to ban Togo from the next two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations. CAF meted out the punishment outlawing Togo from competing in 2012 and 2014 after it claimed the team quit the 2010 competition due to “governmental interference”. Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor castigated CAF for “this outrageous decision”. “This decision is monstrous,” he said. And Togo's French manager Hubert Velud also expressed his amazement at the suspension. “I am curious to know if Sepp Blatter (FIFA President) and Michel Platini (UEFA President) will endorse this decision.” Adebayor said: “Mr. Hayatou has served Africa extensively, but now he must leave.”
