Africa's media has given the thumbs-up to the the quality of football on show during the Cup of Nations tournament, but was less happy about several other areas.

The competition was, said Nigeria's Guardian, a "cultural and economic event... a great festival and a harvest of talents".

And this despite Nigeria losing to Cameroon on penalties after a controversial decision by the Tunisian referee.

The first co-hosting of the tournament had worked well, the paper thought, but "the high quality of soccer expertise that was displayed" was more remarkable.

On the down side, the paper thought there were several issues that needed addressing ahead of future competitions, not least the relative scarcity of indigenous African coaches and other team officials and the "unbridled emotionalism on display which belied the spirit of sportsmanship that ought to have informed each country's participation".

But it did manage words of praise for Nigeria's Super Eagles who lost in the finalalties.

"The Eagles were dazzling and impressive despite their loss ... The performance of the Super Eagles in general, evoked passion and further advertised the secure position which the game of soccer has come to occupy in our national psyche."

Fallout

Other papers were less sanguine.

"Tunisian Referee Robs Eagles" screamed a headline in the Nigerian Tribune. "Controversial Penalty Cost Nigeria Unity Cup", announced the Vanguard.

Elsewhere, there was more fallout.

The Ivorian team were detained on their homecoming, Burkina Faso's coach got the sack and a writer in the South African Mail & Guardian wondered whether England's chances of hosting the next World Cup might not have been boosted by the tournament.

"In Lagos the crowds let themselves, their country and their continent down," wrote Andrew Muchineripi, "with some sensational sections of the English media using incidents to pour scorn over the 2006 World Cup bids of South Africa and Morocco".

"African Football Confederation officials once again proved far too lenient and, hopefully unintentionally, supplied ammunition for the English World Cup bid committee to use against South Africa and Morocco."

The Moroccan internet daily Al-Anbaa disagreed completely.

"The African Cup of Nations has started to compete with its European rival in every way - organisation, TV coverage and particularly technical preparation," the paper said.

Different class

The South African Sunday Times thought the Nigerians were "in a different class" - and thought it knew why.

"The parking lot of the Sheraton Hotel in Lagos tells a lot about who might be staying there," it said. "There are about half-a-dozen late-model Mercedes Benz cars, the latest Jaguar, and a variety of four-wheel-drive vehicles."

"The Nigerian national soccer players are in residence and these are the rewards reaped by world-class players.... When they ousted Bafana Bafana [the South African national team] in the semi-finals of the Nations Cup this week they hardly raised a sweat in showing how big the gap between the two sides really is."

The East African, meanwhile, had another take on the championships.

"Some of African football's biggest stars are not in Ghana/Nigeria 2000 for the African Cup of Nations simply because their countries didn't qualify," wrote Eric Odanga.

"Other football stars are not taking part due to injury, poor form, by choice - or because they have been overlooked by team coaches."

It named Liberian George Weah, "any coach's dream player", as a prime example.

'Hail Cameroun!'

Many papers were full of praise for Cameroon's performance. One such was Ghana's Daily Graphic, under the headline "Hail Cameroun!"

The team was "like a wounded animal waiting to break a 12-year drought" and its members were "fitter and stronger than the home team".

It was also sure that the controversial shot at goal by Nigerian Victor Ikpeba should have been allowed.

On its own side's performance, the paper had some stern words.

"When we perform so badly in soccer championships over the years we should accept our failures and not blame the pitch or the referee.

Superstitious beliefs about the presence or absence of the sports minister at matches should give way to sober analysis which may reveal serious flaws at top management including even the minister.

"We should not run to conclusions. We should unearth the facts before we waste scarce resources to remedy imagined shortcomings."

Perhaps the last word should go to Cameroon's President Paul Biya, who declared a national holiday after the team's victory and wrote to his Nigerian counterpart shortly after the final.

"The match offered Africa and the world a high-quality spectacle," he said.

"Either team could have ended up with the trophy. This encounter has strengthened relations between our countries."

Next Media Watch on 25 February