African Nations Cup Final - Cameroon 0 Senegal 0 - Cameroon win 3-2 on penalties

Cameroon retained the African Nations Cup title with a penalty shootout win over Senegal in Mali capital Bamako.

The holders became the first side since 1967 to win back-to-back African titles with a 3-2 win in the penalty shootout to clinch the fourth African championship in their history.

Senegal missed its last three penalty kicks with star striker El-Hadji Diouf, Moustapha Faye and Aliou Cisse all missing the target.

Patrick Suffo, Etame Mayer and Geremi Njitap scored for Cameroon but defenders Pierre Wome and Rigobert Song missed their spot kicks.

Both sides played to stalemate in the 120 minutes of normal and extra-time with their goalkeepers on good form and both sides failed to find the energy in the hot afternoon sun to score from open play.

Goalkeeper Alioum Boukar saved the fifth and final spot kick from Senegal captain Aliou Cisse and did not concede any goals in the tournament.

But Cameroon needed to recover from a very poor start to the shootout.

Goalkeeper Mario Sylva saved their opening penalty from kick from defender Wome.

Ferdinand Coly then put Senegal into the lead before substitute Patrick Suffo scored for Cameroon.

Senegal's Khalilou Fadiga and Cameroon defender Lauren both saved but then Boukar produced a title-winning five minutes.

He saved from Moustapha Faye allowing Geremi Njitap to score and set up Al-Hadju Diouf to miss the target.

Sylva then saved from Cameroon captain Rigobert Song but Cisse's miss and Boukar's save ended the game.

Striker Pius Ndiefi could have won the game in extra time after Geremi found him unmarked with a header but he hit the post.

Ndiefi had earlier come close to winning a penalty kick when he was pulled down by Cisse but Egyptian referee Gamal El-Ghandour gave nothing.

Senegal came closest in the first half when Henri Camara hit a shot off the top of the crossbar and then saw Boukar smother a close range effort.