Egypt won the Africa Cup of Nations for the sixth time in the tournament's history in Accra, Ghana.
The Pharaohs (Egypt) defeated the Indomitable Lions (Cameroon) 1 - 0 to win the Cup with a goal by Mohamed Aboutrika.
Egypt was the Cup winner last time (2006), when the finals were played in Cairo.
While the Pharaohs were not favored to win, they were always strong contenders.
The next Africa Cup of Nations (2010) will be held in Angola.
Some irony then that Egypt secured a defence of their 2006 title, and extended their haul of silverware as Africa's most successful side, with a squad largely consisting of domestic-based players led by Egyptian coach Hassan Shehata.
As Africa builds towards the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Egypt's example is a reminder that rather than branching out, success may yet come from staying closer to home.
Well done abstract and I like your description of the various events. Yes, it's a lot better if we can use our own players to develop the national teams without having to resort to "outsiders"! Dave.