Cameroon Vs Egypt In The AFCON Semifinal, Who Will Blink First?
KEY POINTS
Vincent Aboubakar – Cameroon’s captain and the key attacker may have seen his scoring run come to an end in the quarterfinal against the Gambia, but you can bet he will be itching to get back into net-rippling form for this semifinal clash.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
In head-to-head stats, Cameroon and Egypt have met in 27 matches across all competitions dating back as far as 1983. The Pharaohs have claimed 15 wins compared to six for the Indomitable Lions, while six games have been drawn.
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The Semifinals at the Total Energies Africa Cup of Nations 2021 tournament continue with host team Cameroon taking on Egypt at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde on the evening of Thursday 3 February 2022.
Cameroon put in a powerful display in the quarterfinals to defeat the Gambia 2-0 (thanks to a brace from Karl Toko Ekambi) and continue their dream of winning the AFCON as hosts, while Egypt came from behind to defeat North Africans rivals Morocco 2-1 after extra time, thanks to a goal and assist from key player Mohamed Salah.
Cameroon coach Toni Conceicao was happy with his team’s showing in the quarterfinals, but does have concerns over recovering in time for this midweek battle: “I am satisfied with my players who respected the instructions to go and win the match despite the missed opportunities in the first period,” said the Portuguese.
“In addition to the victory, it was our match where the attack-defense balance was the most respected. Regarding the semi-finals, what worries me the most is to see my players recover, it was a physically demanding match. We will rest and analyze our next opponent and put the strategy in place.”
Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz is urging his team to rise to the challenge of facing the host nation: “Today we sacrificed a lot to be the best team on the field, especially from players who are skilled and who are good at dribbling,” said the Portuguese after their quarterfinal triumph. “The players deserve more respect from local analysts and pundits for their performance. Everyone should support the players because they deserve respect and support.”
Key players
Vincent Aboubakar – Cameroon’s captain and the key attacker may have seen his scoring run come to an end in the quarterfinal against the Gambia, but you can bet he will be itching to get back into net-rippling form for this semifinal clash.
Mohamed Salah – The Liverpool forward is Egypt’s key figure in attack and will be looking to offer a potent challenge to a Cameroon defense that was hardly tested at all by the Gambia in the quarterfinals. Expect Salah to be right up for the challenge against the Indomitable Lions.