Two great soccer forces, the Pharaohs of Egypt and the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun, will embark on a search for supremacy in a fitting showdown at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium tomorrow to climax three weeks of soccer festival dubbed Ghana 2008. These two famous soccer rivals have defied pre-tournament predictions to ease to the final which was originally deemed to belong to Ghana, the hosts, and the Elephants of Cote d'Ivoire. In the past two editions, Tunisia and Egypt succeeded in reviving a long tradition which has made favourites of host countries by winning the 2004 and 2006 editions of the tournament respectively. Unfortunately, Ghana could not hold on to the trend after stumbling before the full force of the Indomitable Lions who have, since the 1980s, maintained their nerves at crucial stages of the tournament. In the end, Ghana, in spite of all the expectations, will have to contend with the less prestigious bronze as they battle Cote d'Ivoire at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi today in a prelude to the final. The urgency of tomorrow's battle draws its antecedent from the 2005 disaster which the Egyptians imposed on the Camerounians in a World Cup qualifier at Yaounde. The Indomitable Lions, on that occasion, were only a point adrift of qualification and needed only a draw from the game, but the Pharaohs, who were only playing for pride, obliterated the World Cup dreams of the Camerounians after posting a 2-1 victory over them in their Amadou Ahidjo Stadium stronghold. The aftermath of that defeat almost dismembered the Lions squad and one of Cameroun's dedicated sons, Pierre Wome, quit the team for good, following a fierce confrontation with team-mate and great pal, Samuel Eto'o, over who was responsible for the defeat. Since that mishap, Cameroun have been looking for one fitting moment to unleash a bitter lesson on the Egyptians. But beyond the quest for vengeance by the Lions will be the search for parity as the Camerounians will be looking for a moment to equal the record of the Egyptians who have won the trophy five times and are hoping to stretch that record to an unprecedented sixth. At the top level of African football, the two have clashed six times, with each winning three. Thus tomorrow's clash appears to be the moment to resolve the supremacy riddle between the two. Despite losing 4-2 to the Pharaoh's in their opening game of Ghana 2008, the Camerounians seem to have discovered their usual nerves for top level football, as exemplified by their victories over Tunisia and Ghana in the quarter-final and the semi-final respectively, and this could prove decisive in this battle. Though without the services of Andre Bikey, who was shown the red card in the game against Ghana for his unruly behaviour, the Camerounians have shown, under septuagenarian coach Otto Pfister, that they have great talents such as Stephane Mbia, Makoun Jean, Alain Nkong, Mpalle, Achelle Emana and Alexandre Song, who can blend with veterans such as Rigobert Song, Thimothe Atouba and Geremie Njitap to confront their foes. But their biggest headache will be how to overcome the most unified force of the competition whose coach, Ahmed Shehata, has maintained a list of unsung characters such as Ahmed Zidan, Ahmed Hossam and Mohammed Abou Trika who have proved Egypt to be the deadliest side so far in the competition. Source: Daily Graphic