AFCON 2021: Cameroon and Egypt renew rivalry as they face off in semis

The TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations two best team will lock horns as Cameroon and Egypt face off.

There are no teams that won TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations titles than Cameroon and Egypt.

Between them they lifted the Holy Grail of African Football twelve times, seven for the Pharaohs and five for the Indomitable Lions.

On Thursday, they will be seeking a place in the 2021 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations final when they lock horns in Yaoundé.

The hosts’ intensions have been clear from Day one; they just want the title at home.

Four wins and a draw in the road to the semifinal give The Indomitable Lions a vast amount of confidence before facing rivals Egypt for a ticket in the 6 February final.

They know well they will have the support of thousands as they dream of a sixth AFCON trophy.

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.

“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,” Cameroon head coach Antonio Conceiçao said.

“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,” he added.

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.

“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,” Egypt head coach Carlos Queiroz said.

“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,” he added.

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.

About The Author

Gateway News

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *