Nations Cup Finals, Third Place and all that 'Soccer' Madness

As I write, Ghana has just defeated Ivory Coast 4-2 in a robust match-up. Tough match, indeed, watching Didier Drogba celebrate the first goal of the Third Place match in a tense and physical display I had expected both teams to be playing in the tournament's final. I was wrong. But as game progresses, the Ivorian Elephants would lose steam when a Michael Essien assist would pave way in the 43rd minute of the Second Half which gave Ghana the lead with a magnificent Junior Agogo third goal in the tournament.

Just last night where I was hanging out, the discourse was Nations Cup and how a 'Nigeria' arrogance denied 'our' team a third trophy. But the fact of the matter is that, even though 'Naija' did not come out to play but to show off its 'elite football' class that never delivered from my earlier predictions, this year's tournament was the best I have seen, so far, besides the 1980 tournament which I watched every single match. It was electric. It had class and was well organized. A standard has been set for African football, and you bet, South Africa is going to explode with more soccer madness, come 2010.

I still remember the best squad ever assembled in 'Nigerian' football. Up until today, there is no comparison to the squad that Coach Father Tico had engineered matching up a nation of varied culture and ethnicity. Tico had prepared these 'lads' way back from the World Cup preliminaries but for that back heading into the post by Godwin Odiye, 'Nigeria' missed the World Cup. I still like that squad, though. It remains my favorite. Emmanuel Okala, (Best Ogedemgbe,) Patrick Ekeji, Godwin Odiye, Sam Ojebode, Christian Chukwu, Mudashiru Lawal, Segun Odegbami, Alloysius Atuegbu, Thompson Usiyen, Godwin Iwelumo, Adokiye Amesiamaka and the rest were the best back in the day and still the best ever assembled by a coach and its football organizing committee.

But what had happened today at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, Ghana, shows Africa has arrived and can be proud of staging a spectacular event in the ongoing continent's troubled history. Watching these games, to me, was like watching "The Road to Wembley," "Serie 1" of the robust Italian League, the Latin American Leagues, the Spanish Leagues and the hyped Major League Soccer of which former 'Nigeria' and Newcastle defender Celestine Babayaro has just joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in a star cast of 25-year-old Landon Donovan and a flamboyant, Hollywood-hyped-injury-prone David Beckham whose overrating bothers me.

It has been a breathtaking dribbling, attacks and goals from day 1 of the 2008 Nations Cup. The Third Place match got me and I had lost my breath because Ghana was my pick neverminding they lost out to an aggressive and lucky Cameroon. Ghana won pounding Ivory Coast to a humiliating 4-2 victory and lifting the Third Place Trophy.

Ghana: Richard Kinson, John Painstil, John Mensah, Hani Sarpei, Anthony Annan, Michael Essien, Eric Addo, Sulley Muntari, Haminu Draman, Junior Agogo, Baffour Gyan

Ivory Coast: Trasse Kone, Emmerse Fae, Marc Zoro, Christian Ndri, Arthur Boka, Didier Zokora, Abdelkader Keita, Salomomn Kalou, Siaka Tiere, Didier Drogba, Boubacar Sanogo.

Tomorrow in the finals, it's either one side will be making history if Egypt stretches its win to six or Cameroon will be equaling Egypt's win with a tie of 5 a piece. The aggressiveness of Egypt since the beginning of the tournament gives The Pharoahs an advantage and with Cameroon losing its key player, Reading defender Andre Bikey to a Red Card, Pharaohs shouldn't have any problem at Accra Sports Stadium where Ghanaian fans will be beating the moko moko le kind of congas and the Djangbesi dance. And if Egypt wins, a back-to-back repeat will be made going back almost 50 years when The Pharoahs did it in 1957 and 1959. Only three countries have made it back-to-back in the tournament's history. Egypt, 1957 and 1959; Ghana, 1963 and 1965; and Cameroon, 2000 and 2002.

Though Cameroon should be popping up with European-based players, Egypt's Skipper Ahmed Hassan and veteran Goalkeeper Essam Al Haderi will not be moved by Sam Eto'o' and Mexican-based Alain Nkong's attacking force. My multi-ethnic neigbors are worried I might bring down the house in tomorrow's final. If olakooooooo and gooooooooooooooooal does not bring in the authorities for disturbing the peace, why should my chants of moko moko leeeeeeeee be a big deal. All in all, the tournament "is" great!

The Line: Egypt by 2

Photo: BBC Sport