Ahmed Morsy listened to voices from the street and looked at what the outside world had to say about Egypt's third successive African triumph By winning a record seventh Africa Cup of Nations title, and record third in a row, Egypt's national football team made people talk and made world headlines. The Egyptian victory was celebrated loudly in Cairo and all other cities, with roving bands of revelers hitting the streets, banging drums, blasting air horns and setting off fireworks. Cairo erupted with joy on Sunday after the national football team's 1-0 triumph over Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations final that secured Egypt's third successive championship on the continent. Dancing and drumming broke out in the streets, from Giza in the south to Nasr City in the north, as delirious Egyptians rushed out onto the streets from homes and cafes, draped in the national flag and setting off bangers. "They played with confidence and looked convinced they could pull off a miracle at the end and they did just that," said Hussein Karem, 27, who watched the match with hundreds of others in Cairo International Stadium which had set up a giant screen. "I believed this team was worthy of going to the World Cup. It's because they didn't get to the World Cup that they played with double the energy to bring back the cup." A huge roar rose above the teeming Egyptian capital as national hero Mohamed Nagi Gedo scored in the 85th minute, clinching victory for the Pharaohs in the final played in the Angolan capital. "Egypt, Egypt. Gedo, Gedo!" cried dozens of fans as they darted between cars in the Dokki district, blocking traffic. "It was a bit of a crazy game. I can't express how happy I am," cried Ahmed Helmi, an overwhelmed young man in the Qorba Tunnel in Heliopolis. Helmi, a 28-year-old resident of Nasr City, called it "a footballing miracle!" Helmi's joy was shared by thousands of Palestinians in the neighbouring Gaza Strip, where cars took to the streets of Gaza City blowing their horns accompanied by cries of "Egypt, Egypt!" The Pharaohs confirmed their status as kings of the Nations Cup tournament, according to the BBC's description of the national team. BBC described the final match as "not going down as a classic, but it proved to be a tight and absorbing affair in Luanda." It called Egypt's performance as organised and solid, "as they played throughout the tournament." The headline of The Independent had, "Egypt in seventh heaven as they conquer Africa again". The daily praised the Egyptian team for being the best side over the tournament, "and played a pleasing style of football that brought 15 goals in six games." The newspaper said, "There may have been suspicions that they had enjoyed home advantage rather too much when they won on Egyptian soil four years ago, but their achievements since have more than validated that success. They will not be at the World Cup, but this may be the greatest team Africa has ever produced," according to the Independent. The Guardian described the moment of victory as being familiar. "By the end it all felt very familiar. There again was the goalkeeper, Essam El-Hadari, bouncing up and down on the crossbar. There again was the coach, Hassan Shehata, being thrown in the air by his players like a birthday boy being given the bumps. And there, yet again, was Ahmed Hassan, receiving the cup from Issa Hayatou, raising it and pointing his finger in the air in thanks to Allah. As it was in Cairo, as it was in Accra, so it was again in Luanda." By winning an unprecedented third consecutive Cup of Nations, "this Egypt side have confirmed their place in history. They will not be at this summer's World Cup finals in South Africa but this may be the best team Africa has produced. Records were broken or extended wherever you looked. "This is Egypt's seventh title, three more than their nearest challengers, Cameroon and Ghana, who must now live in the knowledge that they have only won as many as Hassan, Egypt's remarkable captain." FIFA affirmed that a new generation of players emerged in the 2010 ACN "to pick up the slack, providing countless memorable moments and planting themselves firmly on world football's radar." It made special mention of Mohamed Nagi Gedo who, FIFA said, scored a goal for every 35 minutes he was on the pitch. Eurosport said the win was consolation for Egypt's heartbreaking World Cup play-off defeat to Algeria and rounded off a day of records. In addition to the Pharaohs' team haul, Hassan and El-Hadari picked up record fourth winners' medals, coach Hassan Shehata and skipper Hassan became the first to win three in a row and Gedo became the first tournament top-scorer to solely feature from the bench. The Telegraph said Egypt's third straight ACN triumph "secured their reputation as one of the greatest sides the continent has produced. "Hassan Shehata, the tough, grizzled 60- year-old coach, has not lost in this competition since he took charge six years ago and this band of loyal players he has assembled had just too much nous for a promising Ghana."
