High-flying hosts Cameroon became the first team to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations Semi-Final after a 2-0 win over Gambia at the Japoma Stadium in Douala.
The central Africans remain in the tournament thanks to Karl Toko Ekambi’s second-half double to register their dominant performance characterized by composure and control.
After dispatching the 150th-ranked side in the FIFA standings who were debuting at the AFCON tournament as the lowest-ranked team, Cameroon now have it all to do against record winners Egypt in Thursday’s Semi-Final in Yaoundé.
The Indomitable Lions will once again count on captain Vincent Aboubakar who is the tournament’s top scorer and with Toko Ekambi also pulling his weight with five strikes, the hosts are very much harboring ambitions of lifting the trophy for a sixth time on Sunday.
Semi-Final opponents Egypt have played extra time in their knockout fixtures so far, losing their first two goalkeepers in the process. The extra day’s rest could well favor Cameroon who will be fresher having had an hour and a penalty shootouts’ worth of less physical and psychological stress.
Although this will prove the hosts’ biggest test in a so-far straightforward campaign, Cameroon have a golden chance to reach the final on home soil.
Thursday 3rd Feb 2022
CAMEROON ?? V EGYPT ??
A match between the two greatest nations in the history of the African Cup.
An epic African football battle.
— Saddick Adams (@SaddickAdams) January 30, 2022
Despite their lack of strong challenges yet at AFCON 2021, Cameroon have looked very strong and boast the leading goal scorer in the tournament, the momentum from beating the only nation with more AFCON titles could make all the difference this year.
The five-time champions will become odds-on favorites should they topple the ever-improving Pharaohs who have hung on after a slow start to the tournament.
They may have a single clean sheet from all their games so far, but the 2017 champions will depend on their superior goalscoring prowess.