The Africa Cup of Nations 2021 is now in the semi-final stage, with the last four teams fighting for a spot in the final.
The most eye-catching of the two semi-final matchups is without a doubt the one between hosts Cameroon and Egypt. The two countries have the most AFCON wins in history, with Egypt currently leading Cameroon, 7-5.
But Cameroon beat Egypt in their most recent meeting in the 2017 AFCON final, so Mohamed Salah and the Pharaohs will be eager to get their revenge over the Indomitable Lions.
Meanwhile, pre-tournament favourites Senegal, who lost last year’s final to Algeria, will take on 2013’s losing finallists, Burkina Faso, in the other semi-final.
The Africa Cup of Nations 2021 odds have the Teranga Lions as big favourites to make back-to-back finals, but the Stallions will be keen to cause another big surprise.
So read on below as SBOTOP previews both of the AFCON semi-final matchups.
Burkina Faso vs Senegal
After a slow start to the tournament which saw them score just one goal in the group stage, Senegal are finally hitting top form at the right time. The Lions of Teranga took down nine-man Cape Verde 2-0 in the round of 16, then got past Equatorial Guinea 3-1 in the quarter-finals to book their spot in the semis.
Star striker Sadio Mane, who had scored two of the team’s first three goals, set up the team’s first goal, and fellow Premier League stars Cheikhou Kouyate and Ismaila Sarr came off the bench to score the winning goals.
The Senegalese’s success in this tournament has been in large part due to their impressive defence, though. The goal they conceded against Equatorial Guinea was the first they had conceded in five games in Cameroon.
After missing the first two games of the tournament due to Covid, Chelsea goalkeeper Eduoard Mendy and Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly have come back into the side and further solidified a strong defensive unit that also includes Premier League midfielders Cheikhou Kouyate and Nampalys Mendy, and PSG’s Idrissa Gueye.
In all honesty, Senegal have not faced such stiff competition on their way to the semi-finals, and with all due respect, Burkina Faso are not all that imposing in an attacking sense.
The Stallions, who were Africa Cup of Nations runners-up in 2013 and were third in 2017, have made another unlikely run to the semi-finals. Despite lacking in any high-profile stars – Aston Villa forward Bertrand Traore is the biggest name in the side – coach Kamou Malo has done a fine job leading them to another successful tournament.
Traore was surprisingly an unused substitute in their 1-0 quarter-final win against Tunisia, but he will almost surely return to the starting XI for the semi-finals against Senegal. That’s because Dango Ouattara, who scored the winning goal against Tunisia, was sent off later in the match and will now be suspended.
The Stallions have scored in each of their five AFCON games thus far, but they face quite a tough task to defy the Africa Cup of Nations 2021 odds and upset this very strong Senegal team.
Cameroon vs Egypt
Cameroon are getting close to ending the Africa Cup of Nations host country drought. The Indomitable Lions are just a couple wins away from becoming the first host to win AFCON since Egypt achieved the feat back in 2006.
The Cameroonians are coming off a 2-0 win in the quarter-finals over Gambia, with Karl Toko Ekambi scoring both goals. The Lyon striker is having a terrific tournament thus far with five goals, just one shy of team-mate Vincent Aboubakar’s AFCON-leading six goals.
Aboubakar famously scored the winning goal two minutes from time when Cameroon beat Egypt in the 2017 AFCON final. And with the form he’s in at the moment, expect him to provide more Africa Cup of Nations 2021 highlights against the Pharoahs.
Meanwhile, the midfield duo of Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Martin Hongla has also been outstanding all tournament long. Hongla has set up three goals in his three tournament appearances.
But Cameroon could be sucked into a cagey match by Carlos Quieroz’s Egypt, who have been grinding out results en route to the semi-finals.
The Pharaohs edged past Morocco 2-1 after extra-time in the quarter-finals, and won a penalty shootout with Ivory Coast after a 0-0 draw in the round of 16. They also had three straight 1-0 results (two wins and a loss) in the group stage.
As expected, Mohamed Salah has been carrying the Pharaohs on his back with two goals and an assist, and the Liverpool star will have to be at his best to overcome a Cameroon side that has much more attacking weapons.
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