P.M. News (Lagos)
Mike Mukwuzi
11 February 2002
Lagos — The Indomitable Lions of Cameroun wrote their names in history books of African football last night in Bamako by becoming the third country in 37 years to win the African Nations Cup back to back.
Egypt and Ghana had earlier in 1957 and 1959 and 1963 and 1965 respectively won the championship. But Cameroun who were pre- championship favourites, re-wrote history books with a 3-2 win over Senegal via penalty shootout after the the regulation and extra- times had failed to produce any goals.
The final which lived up to its billing with brilliant displays of robust African football saw the two sides nicknamed Lions, matching themselves in all departments of the game.
Both teams had opportunities to wrap up the game in regulation time but all the chances created were missed with the Senegalese goalkeeper, Tony Sylva pulling off spectacular saves.
Interestingly, Cameroun's victory also puts them in the elite category of teams that have won the trophy four times. Only Egypt and Ghana had won it four times before yesterday. Also, the victory makes Cameroun the second team after Cote d Ivoire in 1992 in the tournament's history to have kept a clean slate in all the matches in regulation time enroute to winning the title.
Aside from this, the victory will remain memorable for the Central Africans as they became the first team to lift the newly designed trophy having the retired the previous one for keeps.
As skipper Rigobert Song lifted the trophy in a final reminiscent of their last triumph in Lagos two years ago, the Senegalese players notably Lens striker, El Hadji Diouf and coach, Bruno Metsu, watched in agony as a lifetime opportunity to become African champions slipped by.(ACONS)
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