Okay, okay, okay, so I got the prediction for the final wrong-opposite even-but I wasn't the only one. Who didn't want to see the West African carnivale that would have unfolded had Ivory Coast faced off with Ghana in Accra? But I guess we were looking into the future through murky heart-fogged lenses, because Cameroon won a grinding physical battle with Ghana and then Egypt lit up Ivory Coast with a lethal counter-attack.

There was a general understanding that the absence of John Mensah, whom his coached dubbed one of the top five defenders in the world on the eve of the game, would dramatically effect the disposition of Ghana's team by necessitating Michael Essien to fill in. Ghana is a team without skilful forwards and they have won thus far by dominating in the center of midfield by way of Essien, Muntari, and Addoh. Ghana was already without Stephen Appiah, another one of the physical and technical phenomes who represented the Black Stars at the World Cup.

Junior Agogo had been enjoying the opportunity to punch in goals but no one expected him to create chances or even finish at a peculiar rate. Cameroon, for their part, had opened the tournament horribly but showed in their last group match why any team with Samuel Eto'o and some good defenders can be dangerous. Rigobert Song provided organization and leadership next to the massive Bikey and their goalie, Kameni, while at times overly exciting is one of the better keepers in the tournament.

I only got to see the last ten minutes, delayed as I was from having locked my own keys in my own running car, and that was enough to see the story: a rough sloppy game with few clear chances and a lot of fouls ‘n kicks. I also got to witness Ghana maintain the better possession but fail to create clear chances, and Cameroon run out at speed on their counters. The scene of Bikey inexplicably decking one of the medical crew trying to assist his teammate Rigobert Song was one of those moments that makes this tournament so weird and compelling.

 

Agogo could be blamed for the loss but that would be a cruel way to treat a young, modesty-skilled player who had a good tournament. Former Chicago Fire star Jesse Marsch, indicated he was pleased to see Agogo's success but added, "I was way better." The truth is Ghana was short a few horses and Essien's absence in the middle of the field prevented him from carrying the team on is back.

The only goal of the match came in the 71st minute when N'Kong initiated an incisive counter-attack by collecting a clearance from his goalkeeper and finding the feet of Epalle, who found Eto'o, who found N'Kong clear of the defense. He finished efficiently by placing his shot low to the far post. Still, a better keeper might have saved it.

Now Cameroon will face defending champs Egypt in the final, the Lions and the Pharaohs. Egypt made Ivory Coast look flat, disrupting the Elephants possession with a compact, smothering defense, and then spreading out quickly in counter-attacks featuring precise passing and great finishing.

Ivory Coast had not been pushed in their earlier matches, and they may have confirmed their reputation as big-match losers against Egypt. Dindane and Yaya Toure were imposing presences, and Boka marauded admirable down the left, but the duo of Kalou and Drogba were stagnant and made for easy marking. Drogba did enough to find his way into two point blank headers, both of which he hit directly at the Egyptian goalkeeper, Al Hadari, who had an outstanding game but also benefited from the Ivorians less than ruthless finishing. In the end, I think Kolo Toure's absence in the center at the back was a real problem for Ivory Coast, because he is the brains of the operation, starting the attacks and organizing the defense.

Amr Zaki was deadly when he had open looks at the goal and the Egyptians put on a shooting clinic in the second half. Zaki scored twice in five minutes to put the game out of reach, but Zidan's perfectly weighted set-up pass on Egypt's last goal was the re-playable moment of the day.

Both semi-finals put me in mind that in order to win an international tournament, you have to have a good goalkeeper and a good central defender. Egypt and Cameroon have been closest to that formula in an African Nations Cup that has featured some pretty awful net-minding. Another take-away has been that while the English game is certainly the fastest in the world, it may also be the best at killing talent. Against Egypt Kalou and Drogba often found time and space but were unable to hold possession or create chances with the ball at their feet, choosing over and over again to play first and second time passes that didn't quite come off. Their unreliability in possession made for easy counters the other way and often left their midfielders stranded too high up the pitch.

Egypt, as in form defending champions, have to be favorites in the final, but Cameroon can take comfort in the fact that if Kameni plays well, Eto'o and Mbia will have chances to win the game.