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Al Hadary hails Egypt’s golden generation

LUANDA - Veteran goalkeeper Essam al-Hadary hailed Egypt’s golden generation on Sunday after a third consecutive Africa Cup of Nations title.

Egypt, winners of the continental crown in 2006, 2008 and now again in 2010 after Sunday’s 1-0 win over Ghana, have embellished their standing as kings of Africa.

And 37-year-old al-Hadary, who conceded just two goals in Egypt’s run to their latest title and was between the posts for the title in 1998, again in Cairo in 2006, and in Accra two years ago, said: “This is the best Egyptian generation of all time.

“We’ve got good players and good coaches and we feel like a family. I’m so happy that we made the Egyptian people happy.”

It was a day of records with Egypt becoming the first team to win three straight titles, Hassan Shehata becoming the first manager to complete a hat-trick, captain Ahmed Hassan extending his record of international caps to 172, and the team enhancing their record unbeaten run in the competition to 19 games.

They have also now collected an astonishing seven Africa Cup of Nations in all.

Shehata’s assistant Shawky Gharib reckoned Angola, where Egypt have brushed aside World Cup qualifiers Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria as well as Mozambique and Benin, was a stern test for his champions.

“It’s been tougher than in 2006 and 2008,” he said.

“We said when we came here we were the champions and we were intent on retaining our crown, and we’ve done it despite a lot of key players missing duue to injury.”

While Sunday’s success was handsome compensation for Egypt missing out on qualifying for the World Cup Ghana can look forward to South Africa with great optimism.

Coach Milovan Rajevic has worked miracles to get the Black Stars into their first Africa Cup of Nations final in 18 years and they were bang in the match which was heading for extra time until supersub Mohamed ‘Gedo’ Nagy popped up with the decisive goal five minutes from time.

Rajevic commented: “I think it was a very good match.

“The result was the most important thing for us. Egypt showed they are very experienced. But I think we were unfortunate today.

“They scored their goal after a mistake by us at a time when we had the game under control

“We were attacking well and functioning well and we expected the game to go into extra time. They exploited a mistake and won the match.”

“I congraulate Egypt for winning, as for us this will prove good experience for the World Cup.”

Ghana captain Richard Kingson, who was not 100 percent fit after suffering a groin problem in the quarter-final against Angola which prevented him taking some of his goalkicks, was also looking to the future.

“I said to the boys this one is over, now we have to concentrate on what lies ahead for us,” said the Wigan keeper.