Hosts Egypt Friday became the first country to win the Africa Nations Cup for the fifth time after defeating World Cup-bound Cote d'Ivoire 4-2 in a penalty shootout at the final of the 25th edition.

It was 0-0 at the end of regulation and extra-time, forcing the penalty shootout in a match the Egyptians, backed by some 70,000 supporters at the Cairo International Stadium, had a goal disallowed by Tunisian referee Mourad Daami.

The hosts also lost a penalty kick during extra-time, but goalkeeper Essam Al Hadary proved the Pharaohs' hero saving two penalty kicks.

In a reverse of the Cote d'Ivoire-Cameroon quarter-final which the Ivorians won in another shootout with Cameroonian playmaker Samuel Eto'o Fils missing his kick, Ivorian star Didier Drogba had his kick stopped by Hadary Friday to deny the Ivorians a second Africa Nations trophy after their first in Senegal 1992.

The Pharaohs dominated play but failed to find the net against an Ivorian watertight defence marshalled by English club Arsenal pillar Kolo Toure.

Fatigue set in with the Pharaohs and the Elephants showing extra-caution as the game drifted through the 30-minutes of extra-time into the penalty shootout.

Egyptian fans waving their country's red-white-black colours then erupted in jubilation after Mohamed Aboutrika scored the Pharaohs' last penalty kick.

Dignitaries at the match included Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his wife Suzanne, as well as African Union Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konare and Issa Hayatou, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Mubarak and Hayatou presented medals and the Cup to the victorious Egyptian team. The Ivorians received the silver medals for coming second while Nigerian Super Eagles that piped Senegal 1-0 in Thursday's third place match got the bronze medals.

Defending champions Tunisia, were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Nigeria, while the 26 edition of the biennial continental soccer competition will be hosted by Ghana in 2008.