The Egyptian president and newspapers applauded the “dignity” of the national football team, calling them champions despite agonisingly losing the Africa Cup of Nations final 2-1 to Cameroon on Sunday night.
 Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny gave Egypt the lead midway through the first half and they looked to be on course to win an unrivalled eighth Cup of Nations crown in their first appearance at the tournament since 2010.
 But Cameroon hit back and Vincent Aboubakar came off the bench to score a stunning winner with two minutes left to break Egyptian hearts.
 “We have lost with dignity” read the headline of the privately owned Al-Shorouk newspaper.
 “The Pharaohs have lost 2-1 in the finals after a dignified performance,” said the state-owned Al-Akhbar newspaper. The private Al-Watan newspaper chimed: “The cup was lost but we won the national team.”
 “You have honoured us, champions... We’ll meet at the World Cup,” the privately owned Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper added.
 President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed his “great appreciation” to the players on their “dignified performance” in Gabon. “Despite the result of the game the national team has won the appreciation of the entire Egyptian people and the respect of all football fans around the world,” Sisi said in a statement.
 Thousands of fanatical Egyptians gathered in front of massive screens in the suburbs in western Cairo, as they did all over the country, blowing Vuvuzelas and waving Egyptian flags. The Vuvuzela horns fell silent at the final whistle.
 “I’m in shock,” said 30-year-old engineer Ayman Abou el-Nour, who was watching the game with his wife and two children. “We needed something to bring us happiness. Our problem now is that we don’t have anything to make us happy.”
 Egyptians, grappling with skyrocketing prices and political turmoil, hope next year’s World Cup will offer some more respite. “We have lost the cup but we still have a chance to reach the World Cup. That is the big dream,” said 20-year-old student Ahmed Alaa.

Coach Cuper sorry for letting Egyptians down
Egypt coach Hector Cuper was apologetic towards the supporters of his side after the Pharaohs threw away the lead to lose 2-1 to Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations final.
 The defeat was the latest in a long line of painful final defeats for Cuper in his career — the Argentine had notably lost two UEFA Champions League finals with Valencia and a Cup Winners’ Cup final with Mallorca in the past.
 “Congratulations to Cameroon for the victory. They played well,” said the veteran Argentine.
 “The sadness I have is not because I lost another final, it’s because there was so much hope especially among the people in Egypt and I am sorry for the players who put in so much effort.
 “We have finished this competition with a defeat but I think they did a great job. I’m just sorry that we couldn’t give happiness to the people of Egypt because I imagine that there was a lot of expectation among them. I’ve lost another final? I’m not going to say I’m used to it but it’s one more for me!”