By Akinwale Kasali
The National Thunder of Equatorial Guinea has bowed out of the ongoing 33rd African Cup of Nations Championship in Cameroon following its loss to highly rated Teranga Lions of Senegal.
Coach Juan Micha Obiang Bicogo of Equatorial Guinea will be proud of his team for their superlative performance at the AFCON tournament, having ousted 2019 AFCON defending champion, the Desert Warriors of Algeria, the Lone Stars of Sierra Leone and the Eagles of Mali out of the tournament.
Tagged the whipping boys of the Group, Equatorial Guinea proved their mettle as a team ready to announce itself at the big stage by recording a 1-0 win over Algeria and Sierra Leone respectively, forcing Mali to a penalty shootout after a goalless 120 minutes of action.
Goalkeeper, Dennis Owono was the hero in the Round of 16 clash, putting the Equatorial Guinea side on the path of making history.
Sadly, their joy was short lived as Coach Aliou Cisse inspired Teranga Lions of Senegal dashed their hope with a 3-1 win courtesy of strikes from Famara Diedohou, Chiekh Kouyate and Ismaila Sarr to send the West African side packing from the Continental championship.
With the victory for the Senegal will now face the Stallions of Burkina Faso in the Semi Final of the tournament on Wednesday February, 2, 2022.
The Pharaohs of Egypt will be seeking a revenge of their 2017 AFCON Final defeat to host, Indomitable Lions of Cameroon when both teams face each other in the Second Semi Finals of the tournament.
Egypt would be described as one of the surprising team of the tournament. Having lost its opening Group match to Nigeria 1-0 courtesy of a Kelechi Iheanacho strike, the Coach Carlos Queiroz side have not looked back winning all its matches enroute the Semi Final stage.
After the loss to Nigeria, it recorded a 1-0 win over the Falcons of Sudan and the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau in its other Group matches to come second in the group behind Nigeria.
In its Round of 16 clash with the Elephants of Côte d’Ivoire, the Mohammed Salah captained side won the Match on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes of action to book a date with fellow North African neighbours, the Atlas Lions of Morocco.
Many had predicted that the Moroccans will have an easy ride over their neighbours following their impressive performance in the tournament so far, winning Three out of their previous Four games, recording just a draw which was the 2-2 draw against the Panthers of Gabon, having defeated the Black Stars of Ghana 1-0, the Coelacanths of Comoros 2-0 and a 2-1 win over the Flames of Malawi in their Round of 16 clash.
It recorded Seven goals so far as against Egypt that has scored just Two goals in their previous Four matches.
Goals from Mohammed Salah and Mostapha Mohammed was all the Egyptians needed to eliminate Morocco from the tournament. The Moroccans took the lead as early as the Eighth minute from the penalty spot through Sofiane Boufal.
Salah pulled the needed equalising goal in the second half to force the game into extra time before Mostapha scored the decisive goal to give the Coach Queiroz side a 2-1 win.
Egypt will face Cameroon in the Semi Final on Wednesday, and will be aiming to avenge its 2-1 loss to the Cameroonian in Gabon in. 2017.
At the AFCON 2017 finals, Mohammed Elneny had given the Egyptian the lead in first half before goals from Nicholas N’koulou and Vincent Aboubakar gave the Cameroon their fifth AFCON trophy.
It will be battle royale between the two countries when hostilities resume, with Cameroon having the advantage of playing on home soil and will enjoy the support of its ever supportive vociferous crowd.
