Daggers drawn as Cameroon battle  Egypt in historic semifinal

Hosts Cameroon face Egypt in the second semi final of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations Championship tonight at Olembe Stadium in Younde with a place in the Sunday’s final beckoning.

The Semi-Final kicks off 10.00PM East African Time.

Cameroon will be seeking to progress to their 8^th semi final of the tournament while Egypt will be out for a 9^th semi final qualification.

The two sides have met 11 times with Cameroon losing their fourth previous appearances against the Pharaohs in the competition.

Cameroon, The Indomitable Lions, intensions have been clear from day one  recording four wins and a draw in the road to the semifinal which gives them the a vast amount of confidence before facing rivals Egypt for a ticket in the 6^th  February final.

Cameroon will once again rely on the lethal attacking duo of Vincent Abubakar and Karl Toko Ekambi, who has scored all Cameroon 11 goals to the moment, six for Abubakar and one less for Ekambi.

There are no teams that won Africa Cup of Nations titles than Cameroon and Egypt. Between them they lifted the trophy twelve times, seven for the Pharaohs and five for the Indomitable Lions.

Cameroon coach Toni Conceicao hinted of their approach to the game.

‘’Our goal is clear; to play a good game and go to the final. We will play against a very good team, Egypt, the most successful team in Africa. They have very good players, including one of the best in the world, namely Mohamed Salah. My players are motivated to win. We have positive pressure, but our objective is clear, to win the title for the Cameroonian people’’, quipped the Portuguese coach appointed in 2019.

The Pharaohs seem to own almost all of AFCON historic records, but there’s one that they are desperate to extend, winning their eighth title.

After a sluggish group stage campaign, Egypt rose to the expectations to oust Cote d’Ivoire and Morocco and reach the semifinals in style. Now they have to face another tough hurdle in the form of their hosts.

The Pharaohs will look up again to their star captain Mohamed Salah, who scored twice to the moment, and assisted the winner in the quarterfinals against Morocco.

Egypt head coach Carlos Queiroz expressed his desire to win the clash.

‘’To reach the semifinals is a reward for us. Facing hosts Cameroon is tough as they play very good football. We want to offer the world a pleasant match between two great African teams. We are ready for this semifinal. It is true that we have played two consecutive matches with extra-time, but we remain ready to play a very good match. We have the right team for this kind of games’’, Queiroz said.

The winner of the semi final duel scheduled to kick off at 10.00PM East African time, will face Senegal in Sunday’s final.

Senegal advanced  to their second successive final after edging out Burkina Faso 3-1 last night.