A heavyweight clash is set to take place in the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations as host Cameroon locks horns against high-flying Egypt to book a place at the showpiece final. There has been a lot of storyline going into this game including the venue itself where a few weeks ago saw fans dying due to a stampede. This semifinal match and the final got the clearance to take place once CAF took additional security measures.
CAM vs EGY Match Details
When: Thursday, February 3rd/ Wednesday, February 4th
Time: 21:00 (GMT)/ 00:30 (IST)
Where: Paul Biya Stadium, Olembe
CAM vs EGY Match Preview
Cameroon's perfect AFCON campaign prevailed as the host managed to beat defensively the stubborn Gambia through a fine second-half brace from Karl Toko Ekambi in the quarterfinals. The Indomitable Lions are wishing to repeat their feat of winning the competition as they did in 2017 facing Egypt in the final as well. So far, the competition favorites have not lost a game and scored eleven goals more than any other team. Vincent Aboubakar has been involved in seven of those goals leading the golden boot chart of the competition. Coach Conceicao has taken pride in his team's performance while encouraging them ahead of a competitive clash in the last four. Egypt will turn out to be the first major opposition in the contest for Cameroon after breezing past the group stages and only facing tough outings against Cape Verde and Comoros in that ill-fated game. The free-scoring side is expected to face some tough resilience from their opposition on Thursday.
Although Egypt have risen to prominence through their well-drilled defense, their talisman attacker Mohamed Salah was in the headlines again by netting the equaliser and then assisting the Trezeguet winner in the extra time to beat a formidable Morocco 2-1 in the quarterfinals. However, coach Carlos Queiroz have refused to label his side a one-man show after the man of the match display from the Liverpool winger. The Pharaohs were not in the conversation to win the competition this time out and their opening game defeat to Nigeria seem to have reassured it.
Since then they have blown away the critics by becoming a serious challenger on the back of some robust displays. The Soufiane Boufal penalty conversion in the last game was only the second time Egypt conceded in the tournament. Queiroz's men are seeking revenge for their disappointment in 2017 final to elevate themselves to this edition's showpiece.
Recent Form
CAM: WWDWW
EGY: WDWWL
CAM vs EGY Team News
Cameroon have no injury issues or suspension crisis to deal with moving into the fixture with coach Antonio Conceicao unlikely to make any changes to the starting eleven from the quarterfinals.
His counterpart though doesn't share the same luck. Egypt are missing a host of crucial players including star defender Ahmed Hegazy who was replaced at the halftime sustaining a possible groin injury. Mohamed El-Shenawy and now Gabaski have added themselves to the treatment table leaving only debutant third choice keeper Mohamed Sobhy to take charge between the sticks. Hamdi Fathi and Akram Tawfik are out of contention.
CAM vs EGY Expected Lineups
CAM: Andre Onana; Collins Fai, Jean-Charles, Michael Ngadeu, Nouhou Tolo, Martin Hongla, Samuel Gouet, Zambo Anguissa, Nicolas Ngamaleu, Toko Ekambi, Vincent Aboubakar
EGY: Mohamed Sobhy; Omar Kamal, El-Din, Mohamed Abdelmoniem, El Fatouh, El-Sulya, Mohamed Elneny, Ayman Ashraf, Mo Salah, Mostafa Mohamed, Omar Marmoush,
CAM vs EGY Head to Head
Four of the last five meetings between the sides took the stage in this competition with Egypt triumphing in three of them although the Pharaohs lost the previous one 2-1 to Cameroon in the AFCON final. Indomitable Lions's lethal striker Vincent Aboubakar scored a late winner after Nicolas Nkoulou equalizer overturned the first-half deficit from El Neny's to take home the trophy.
CAM vs EGY Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Onana (8.5)
DEF: Fai (9), Jean-Charles (8), Abdelmoniem (8), Fatouh (8)
MID: Ekambi (10), Elneny (9), Anguissa (9), Marmoush (8.5)
FW: Salah (11), Aboubakar (10)
