As football fans prepare to watch the finals of the 2017 African Cup of Nations(AFCON) between Cameroon and Egypt slated for today(20:00) in Gabon, Referee Jenny Sikazwe would be on ground to officiate the epic final.
Sikazwe a Zambian officiated the Cameroon’s match against Burkina Faso in the group stage which ended in a 1-1 draw as well as the quarterfinal matchwith Senegal which saw the indomitable Lions win on 5-4 penalties.
Meanwhile, Cameroon and Egypt are two of the most successful nations in the 60-year history of the competition, with Egypt unrivalled on seven titles and Cameroon, four-time winners, just behind alongside Ghana.
But at the outset of the tournament in Gabon it was the likes of Algeria, Senegal and defending champions the Ivory Coast who were considered the favourites, with Egypt dark horses in their first appearance since 2010.
Cameroon, meanwhile, came with what looked like their weakest ever squad, handicapped by the refusal of several leading players to accept call-ups from Belgian coach Hugo Broos.
Yet the Indomitable Lions qualified from their group at the expense of the hosts and have since knocked out both Senegal and Ghana to make their first final since 2008.
Then, with a side containing the likes of Rigobert Song and Samuel Eto’o, they lost 1-0 to the Egyptians in Ghana’s capital Accra.
This current Cameroon side has no such big name stars but Broos has transformed their fortunes over the last 12 months and is now looking for them to make history.
The Egyptians had won three consecutive Cups of Nations between 2006 and
2010 but missed the last three tournaments amid political upheaval in the country before Argentine Hector Cuper led them to back onto the scene here.
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