In footballing terms, the match had everything.

Tournament stats

Goals: 73 Games: 32 Yellow cards: 100 Red cards: 5 Departing managers: 4

It was an end-to-end clash between two of the continent's soccer superpowers.

There was a two-goal comeback from co-hosts Nigeria - including a contender for goal of the tournament; a controversial penalty shoot-out and a disputed goal reminiscent of England's much-replayed 1966 World Cup strike against Germany.

The final was indeed a mouth-watering end to the promised feast of football.

However the tournament also raised vexing questions about officiating and organisation in African events.

Cameroon's highly-contentious win capped a memorable tournament

Security at the imposing Surelere Stadium in Nigeria wavered between too casual or too strict and scuffles were common place after every Nigerian game.

Nigeria's football association were fined on two separate occasions for pitch invasion and bottle-throwing.

And while Ghana proved a more gentle venue, the lack of crowd support also contrived to deprive the tournament of much of its shine.

Both Ghana and Nigeria stepped in as hosts of the Nations Cup a year ago when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) took the tournament away from Zimbabwe.

Some questioned the idea, and the competing nations have complained loudly of the logistical difficulties it produced.

But CAF secretary-general Mustapha Fahmy declared the principle of co-hosting a success.

Cameroon's penalty-spot victory sparked angry scenes among the Nigerians

Indeed the way is now clear for other pairs of African countries who would ordinarily not have the resources to host the tournament on their own, to bid for the showpiece event.

The forthcoming European Championships and the 2002 World Cup are to be staged on a dual-host basis.

Both those tournaments have already attracted criticism for their ticketing and organisation.

It could be argued that the popularity and money-making potential of modern football now means no international soccer event can take place without controversy.

And that in a continent where football is often used by politicians to deflect attention from ethnic clashes, religious differences, corruption scandals and economic decline, the African Cup of Nations passed remarkably smoothly.

A total of 73 goals were scored at the tournament

The Nigerians' pitch invasions were a case of over-enthusiasm and in one case a genuine mis-understanding of the extra-time rules, rather than a worrying outbreak of violence.

There were image of soldiers firing teargas at bands of youths but these were hardly the running battles involving England fans seen at last year's World Cup in France.

There were reminders of the fragility of African affairs - but these were little to do with the tournament itself.

Ivory Coast dictator General Robert Guei saw fit to punish his players' early exit with three days of hard labour in a military base while Togo's German coach Gottlieb Goeller quit in a row with his employers.

Failure at the finals also cost the coaches of Algeria, Morocco and South Africa their jobs.

A Nigerian demonstrates his devotion to teenager Julius Aghahowa

But such episodes merely added to the drama of a tournament which overall was a brilliant advertisement for African football.

For the first time, more than half the players competing came from clubs in Europe, among them some of the most popular teams in the world.

While stars such as Nwankwo Kanu failed to shine - the Arsenal man failed to find the net in six games - the tournament has thrown up at least three new stars.

Cameroon's Laurent Mayer, South Africa's Nomevete and Nigerian teenager Julius Aghahowa - Africa's somersaulting Michael Owen - burst onto the stage with their pace and talent.

Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o is overcome by joy

Unlike previous tournaments where defences have stolen the limelight, this was an event for goal-scorers.

A total of 73 goals (not including penalty shoot-outs) were scored in 32 matches.

Only four games finished goalless.

After a slightly slow start, the tournament was fired into life by the climax to Group D - the so-called Group of Death.

With all four teams mathematically able to qualify for the quarter-finals, Tunisia scraped through after Nigeria's 2-0 defeat of Morocco gave them a better goal difference than their North African rivals.

Mboma (l) and Okocha both scored in the epic final

Nigeria's semi-final versus South Africa was billed as the final-before-the-final.

But the game was somewhat anti-climactic as two classy early goals from Ajax winger Babangida knocked the stuffing out of the Bafana Bafana.

That set up a final showdown between the Eagles and the Indomitable Lions, with both teams looking to finally prove their claim to be No 1 in Africa.

The accolade went to Cameroon after an epic but controversial final which will enter the annals of great footballing injustices.

African football now turns its attention to the qualifiers for the World Cup, although Africa's persistent political problems have already claimed one of the fixtures.

Somalia have been forced to forfeit the home leg of their qualifier against newly-crowned champions Cameroon because of security concerns in the capital Mogadishu.