Mohamed Gedo scored the only goal five minutes from full-time to deny Ghana and hand Egypt their third successive continental crown.

Rajevac said: "We are not so experienced, we wanted to win it so badly in our hearts but in the end Egyptian experience was crucial."

Rajevac was beset by injuries before and during the competition with more than half of his regular starting line-up, including the likes of Michael Essien and captain Stephen Appiah absent through injury.

However, the Serb revealed there were plenty of positives as well as lessons for his young players to take with them ahead of their next international assignment - the World Cup finals in South Africa.

He added: "Experience gained here will be crucial to our preparations at the World Cup.

"We now have enough time to prepare.

"The young players are the future. But they cannot play on their own. Egypt beat us because they have plenty of experience."

Ghana, whose average squad age in Angola was 23, are in Group D for the World Cup, alongside Serbia, Germany and Australia.

Defender Hans Sarpei, the oldest player in the squad at 33, echoed the sentiments of his coach.

He said: "You know they are good players and they helped us get this far and it shows that we have a future.

"Whether there will be that many at the World Cup remains to be seen.

"I am sure some will be there, but I think we need to have a few more experienced players at the World Cup."

The Bayer Leverkusen full-back was shattered by the loss, saying that even knowing a World Cup finals was to come, offered little consolation.

He added: "It is very difficult to say anything at this stage. We played well, but then conceded a goal five minutes from time.

"It is difficult to come back from that and react.

"The defeat will be difficult, even if we go to the World Cup.

"I am very happy that we went to the final, but the World Cup is not really consolation.

"The Nations Cup is something completely different, in the final you either win or lose and unfortunately we lost and that is always a difficult thing to overcome."