East and Central press praise Egypt - 2010

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East and Central press praise Egypt

02-01-2010

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Although they failed to make it to the 2010 World Cup finals, Egypt have once again proved they are the champions of African football after winning their straight Orange CAF African Cup of Nations trophy.

“Egyptians kings of African soccer again,” screamed a big headline in Uganda’s leading daily news paper New Vision, while the country’s leading independent daily – Daily Monitor brought it out in style with a big picture at the front page with the Egyptians holding the trophy and a headline - Egypt are Africa football champions.

Substitute Mohamed ‘Gedo’ Nagy gave the Pharaohs the victory over the Black Stars of Ghana with only five minutes to full time in the final played on Sunday in Luanda, Angola.

Yes, no nation in the heart of East and Central Africa made it to the Nations Cup finals apart from Zambia considered more of outsiders and members of COSAFA, but the passion and zeal to follow the biggest African showpiece was still evident in the region.

Although most people in Tanzania had soft hearts for Didier Drogba’s Ivory Coast, possibly because they camped there before heading to Angola, the soccer crazy Tanzanians still remained clued on their Television sets after the Elephants got kicked out by Algeria at the quarter final stage.

In many parts of Dar es salaam, Moshi, Mwanza and Arusha in Tanzania many football lovers flocked bars in big numbers to watch the Nations Cup right from the start, but increased in numbers from the knock-out stage. “It has been crazy here as fans have been in positive mood about the tournament. They liked the football exhibited right from the knock-out stage,” Kevin Mapunda told Cafonline.com on phone from the Tanzanian capital.

In Uganda although the English Premier League tie between giants Arsenal and Manchester United almost over shadowed the Africa Cup of Nations finals on Sunday, many fans in the local out skirts still opted to watch the explosive Ghana-Egypt final. Many Ugandans had put their money on teams from Western Africa Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. “It has been a good final and Egypt deserved to win because they played well and were a disciplined side,” said David Mukasa.

“Egypt are still Africa’s Kings” stated a headline in Kenya’s lead selling paper Daily Nation. A Kenyan soccer fan said, “Well done Egypt, U deserve the Cup for keeps. All the teams had a poor show except finalists Ghana”.

In Rwanda especially in the capital Kigali, fans were glued to the TVs right from the day the tournament kicked off. They graced the final in big numbers in several outlets, while a good section also remained and watched from their homes.

Generally around the East and Central Zone, the mood for CAN was explosive because many people are football crazy. The different prizes put aside by local sponsors in the respective countries like Stanbic Bank also increased the positive response to following the tournament.

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