The four selected reached the semifinals after showing their best cards in the quarterfinals. The ‘Pharaohs’ and the ‘Indomitable Lions’ are the biggest winners in the history of the contest. The ‘Leones de la Teranga’ and the ‘Colts’ seek the crown for the first time.
The race for the title in the African Cup of Nations was reduced to four teams: three historical and an entertainer of recent years. Between Cameroon, Senegal, Egypt and Burkina Faso is the next African soccer monarch.
In a contest marked by surprises and the discreet level of the favourites, the four semi-finalists are not entirely unexpected and coincided in showing their best level in the quarterfinals.
Cameroon, with the support of their fans and the strength of their scorers
Cameroon’s run to the semi-finals was the strongest among the four title contenders. The ‘Indomitable Lions’ have accumulated four wins and one draw and are the highest scoring team in the tournament, with 11 goals.
The attacking power is concentrated in their two forwards, who are also the tournament’s top scorers: Vincent Aboubakar scored 6 goals and Karl Toko-Ekambi scored 5, including a brace in the 2-0 win over Gambia.
Without the lights that the two battering rams take, the work of the two lanes of the local team is very outstanding: Collins Fai and Martin Hongla have provided 3 assists each and have silently contributed to the success of the team.
Perhaps the great challenge for Cameroon will be to face their first weight obstacle in the semifinals: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Comoros and Gambia have made up a relatively easy path for those led by Toni Conceiçao. In addition, they have shown some defensive weaknesses: they have attacked him little, but only against Gambia did he manage to finish the game with a clean sheet.
But among the public, no one doubts that Cameroon organized this CAN to win it and the enthusiasm translates into support in the stands. Until now, the ‘Indomitable Lions’ have shown signs of knowing how to manage the pressure and maintain their illusion of reaching their sixth crown, at home.
Senegal, the weight of hierarchy at its best
Measured by the wealth of the squad, Senegal came to Cameroon as the highest-ranking entrant, even above champions Algeria. After most of the tournament, the ‘Desert Foxes’ no longer defend their crown and the ‘Leones de la Teranga’ are in the semifinals.
This team built by Aliou Cissé does not shine, but it is enough for him with moments of inspiration to demonstrate his superiority. But the coach and his players show an enviable belief in one idea: to become strong “collectively”, as the great figure of the squad, Sadio Mané, pointed out after the 3-1 victory over Equatorial Guinea in the quarterfinals.
Cissé formed a reliable team, which is built on defensive solidity (just one goal conceded in 5 games) and is sustained by the contribution of all its members. Against the ‘Nzalang’, for example, 2 of the 3 goals were scored by players who came on in the second half: Cheikhou Kouyaté and Ismaïla Sarr. No one escapes from that sacrifice, not even Mané, who on more than one occasion goes down to defensive positions.
Critics of the coach, however, point out that the footballing display of his team is not in line with the level of the players he has: Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gana Gueye or Édouard Mendy, just to mention a few.
But Senegal’s objective seems clear: to conquer the African Cup of Nations for the first time, that elusive achievement that eluded them in the 2002 and 2019 finals. The team has given them a fairly smooth path and appears as the great favorite in the semifinal , but will face Burkina Faso, a vertical team in attack, which will test the Senegalese defense.
With Salah as leader, Egypt always says present
There are teams that give off a winning aura, no matter how they get to tournaments. In Africa, Egypt is one of those teams. Founding member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), his team won the first two editions of the CAN (1957 and 1959, as the United Arab Republic), is the only one to win the trophy three consecutive times (2006, 2008, 2010) and played their last final in 2017, against all odds.
If the list of favorites for the title for the CAN 2021 appeared behind names like Algeria, Senegal or Cameroon, the start of the contest only increased doubts about the ‘Pharaohs’: tough defeat against Nigeria and tight victories against Guinea Bissau and Sudan.
But from the elimination phase, Carlos Queiroz’s cast changed the sensations. The formula is already known, a marked style of the Portuguese coach: compact formation, priority on defensive solidity and positional order. After that comes the offense and there is Mohamed Salah, who emerged as the decisive man in the 2-1 win over Morocco in the quarter-finals, with a goal and an assist.
Egypt does not shine either, but it has been effective in the instance of the tournament that deserved it. That is why it stands as a great threat to the illusion of the local Cameroon: the semifinal next Thursday at the Olembé stadium in Yaoundé will decide if the ‘Pharaohs’ are still in the race to extend their record in the record with an eighth title, or if the ‘Indomitable Lions’ reach a final to seek a sixth trophy and stay one behind their rival on duty.
Burkina Faso, the ‘outsider’ pursuing a mission
Of the four semi-finalists, Burkina Faso is the least expected. But neither is he unknown in these types of instances: in 12 participations in the CAN, 4 times he got past the group stage and, when he did, he always got into the top four. He was fourth in 1998, runner-up in 2013 and third in 2017. Now he is looking to fill the missing box, first place.
Kamou Malo’s ‘Foals’ have become a surviving team. They overcame an outbreak of Covid-19 at the start of the tournament and remain in the race despite the news coming from their country, submerged in a crisis after the coup that overthrew President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré on January 23 last.
In fact, that sad episode seems to have given the Burkinabe team another mission: to win to bring some joy to their people at a difficult time. In fact, even in the current context, the selected matches have been a source of unity and hubbub. “I take advantage of this platform to pay tribute to this town, which despite everything is still standing. And I say that our team is the image of our people, we will continue standing no matter what happens”, said Kamou Malo after the good victory 1- 0 over Tunisia in the quarterfinals.
In football, the coach has formed a team that favors direct attack, a very vertical attack but not always effective. Against Gabon in the round of 16 and against Tunisia, at least in the first half, they had very clear chances to get things back on track much sooner. He will certainly have to be relentless with the opportunities that come his way against Senegal. But don’t talk to this Burkinabe team about the impossible.
The four selected reached the semifinals after showing their best cards in the quarterfinals. The ‘Pharaohs’ and the ‘Indomitable Lions’ are the biggest winners in the history of the contest. The ‘Leones de la Teranga’ and the ‘Colts’ seek the crown for the first time.
The race for the title in the African Cup of Nations was reduced to four teams: three historical and an entertainer of recent years. Between Cameroon, Senegal, Egypt and Burkina Faso is the next African soccer monarch.
In a contest marked by surprises and the discreet level of the favourites, the four semi-finalists are not entirely unexpected and coincided in showing their best level in the quarterfinals.
Cameroon, with the support of their fans and the strength of their scorers
Cameroon’s run to the semi-finals was the strongest among the four title contenders. The ‘Indomitable Lions’ have accumulated four wins and one draw and are the highest scoring team in the tournament, with 11 goals.
The attacking power is concentrated in their two forwards, who are also the tournament’s top scorers: Vincent Aboubakar scored 6 goals and Karl Toko-Ekambi scored 5, including a brace in the 2-0 win over Gambia.
Without the lights that the two battering rams take, the work of the two lanes of the local team is very outstanding: Collins Fai and Martin Hongla have provided 3 assists each and have silently contributed to the success of the team.
Perhaps the great challenge for Cameroon will be to face their first weight obstacle in the semifinals: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Comoros and Gambia have made up a relatively easy path for those led by Toni Conceiçao. In addition, they have shown some defensive weaknesses: they have attacked him little, but only against Gambia did he manage to finish the game with a clean sheet.
But among the public, no one doubts that Cameroon organized this CAN to win it and the enthusiasm translates into support in the stands. Until now, the ‘Indomitable Lions’ have shown signs of knowing how to manage the pressure and maintain their illusion of reaching their sixth crown, at home.
Senegal, the weight of hierarchy at its best
Measured by the wealth of the squad, Senegal came to Cameroon as the highest-ranking entrant, even above champions Algeria. After most of the tournament, the ‘Desert Foxes’ no longer defend their crown and the ‘Leones de la Teranga’ are in the semifinals.
This team built by Aliou Cissé does not shine, but it is enough for him with moments of inspiration to demonstrate his superiority. But the coach and his players show an enviable belief in one idea: to become strong “collectively”, as the great figure of the squad, Sadio Mané, pointed out after the 3-1 victory over Equatorial Guinea in the quarterfinals.
Cissé formed a reliable team, which is built on defensive solidity (just one goal conceded in 5 games) and is sustained by the contribution of all its members. Against the ‘Nzalang’, for example, 2 of the 3 goals were scored by players who came on in the second half: Cheikhou Kouyaté and Ismaïla Sarr. No one escapes from that sacrifice, not even Mané, who on more than one occasion goes down to defensive positions.
Critics of the coach, however, point out that the footballing display of his team is not in line with the level of the players he has: Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gana Gueye or Édouard Mendy, just to mention a few.
But Senegal’s objective seems clear: to conquer the African Cup of Nations for the first time, that elusive achievement that eluded them in the 2002 and 2019 finals. The team has given them a fairly smooth path and appears as the great favorite in the semifinal , but will face Burkina Faso, a vertical team in attack, which will test the Senegalese defense.
With Salah as leader, Egypt always says present
There are teams that give off a winning aura, no matter how they get to tournaments. In Africa, Egypt is one of those teams. Founding member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), his team won the first two editions of the CAN (1957 and 1959, as the United Arab Republic), is the only one to win the trophy three consecutive times (2006, 2008, 2010) and played their last final in 2017, against all odds.
If the list of favorites for the title for the CAN 2021 appeared behind names like Algeria, Senegal or Cameroon, the start of the contest only increased doubts about the ‘Pharaohs’: tough defeat against Nigeria and tight victories against Guinea Bissau and Sudan.
But from the elimination phase, Carlos Queiroz’s cast changed the sensations. The formula is already known, a marked style of the Portuguese coach: compact formation, priority on defensive solidity and positional order. After that comes the offense and there is Mohamed Salah, who emerged as the decisive man in the 2-1 win over Morocco in the quarter-finals, with a goal and an assist.
Egypt does not shine either, but it has been effective in the instance of the tournament that deserved it. That is why it stands as a great threat to the illusion of the local Cameroon: the semifinal next Thursday at the Olembé stadium in Yaoundé will decide if the ‘Pharaohs’ are still in the race to extend their record in the record with an eighth title, or if the ‘Indomitable Lions’ reach a final to seek a sixth trophy and stay one behind their rival on duty.
Burkina Faso, the ‘outsider’ pursuing a mission
Of the four semi-finalists, Burkina Faso is the least expected. But neither is he unknown in these types of instances: in 12 participations in the CAN, 4 times he got past the group stage and, when he did, he always got into the top four. He was fourth in 1998, runner-up in 2013 and third in 2017. Now he is looking to fill the missing box, first place.
Kamou Malo’s ‘Foals’ have become a surviving team. They overcame an outbreak of Covid-19 at the start of the tournament and remain in the race despite the news coming from their country, submerged in a crisis after the coup that overthrew President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré on January 23 last.
In fact, that sad episode seems to have given the Burkinabe team another mission: to win to bring some joy to their people at a difficult time. In fact, even in the current context, the selected matches have been a source of unity and hubbub. “I take advantage of this platform to pay tribute to this town, which despite everything is still standing. And I say that our team is the image of our people, we will continue standing no matter what happens”, said Kamou Malo after the good victory 1- 0 over Tunisia in the quarterfinals.
In football, the coach has formed a team that favors direct attack, a very vertical attack but not always effective. Against Gabon in the round of 16 and against Tunisia, at least in the first half, they had very clear chances to get things back on track much sooner. He will certainly have to be relentless with the opportunities that come his way against Senegal. But don’t talk to this Burkinabe team about the impossible.
The four selected reached the semifinals after showing their best cards in the quarterfinals. The ‘Pharaohs’ and the ‘Indomitable Lions’ are the biggest winners in the history of the contest. The ‘Leones de la Teranga’ and the ‘Colts’ seek the crown for the first time.
The race for the title in the African Cup of Nations was reduced to four teams: three historical and an entertainer of recent years. Between Cameroon, Senegal, Egypt and Burkina Faso is the next African soccer monarch.
In a contest marked by surprises and the discreet level of the favourites, the four semi-finalists are not entirely unexpected and coincided in showing their best level in the quarterfinals.
Cameroon, with the support of their fans and the strength of their scorers
Cameroon’s run to the semi-finals was the strongest among the four title contenders. The ‘Indomitable Lions’ have accumulated four wins and one draw and are the highest scoring team in the tournament, with 11 goals.
The attacking power is concentrated in their two forwards, who are also the tournament’s top scorers: Vincent Aboubakar scored 6 goals and Karl Toko-Ekambi scored 5, including a brace in the 2-0 win over Gambia.
Without the lights that the two battering rams take, the work of the two lanes of the local team is very outstanding: Collins Fai and Martin Hongla have provided 3 assists each and have silently contributed to the success of the team.
Perhaps the great challenge for Cameroon will be to face their first weight obstacle in the semifinals: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Comoros and Gambia have made up a relatively easy path for those led by Toni Conceiçao. In addition, they have shown some defensive weaknesses: they have attacked him little, but only against Gambia did he manage to finish the game with a clean sheet.
But among the public, no one doubts that Cameroon organized this CAN to win it and the enthusiasm translates into support in the stands. Until now, the ‘Indomitable Lions’ have shown signs of knowing how to manage the pressure and maintain their illusion of reaching their sixth crown, at home.
Senegal, the weight of hierarchy at its best
Measured by the wealth of the squad, Senegal came to Cameroon as the highest-ranking entrant, even above champions Algeria. After most of the tournament, the ‘Desert Foxes’ no longer defend their crown and the ‘Leones de la Teranga’ are in the semifinals.
This team built by Aliou Cissé does not shine, but it is enough for him with moments of inspiration to demonstrate his superiority. But the coach and his players show an enviable belief in one idea: to become strong “collectively”, as the great figure of the squad, Sadio Mané, pointed out after the 3-1 victory over Equatorial Guinea in the quarterfinals.
Cissé formed a reliable team, which is built on defensive solidity (just one goal conceded in 5 games) and is sustained by the contribution of all its members. Against the ‘Nzalang’, for example, 2 of the 3 goals were scored by players who came on in the second half: Cheikhou Kouyaté and Ismaïla Sarr. No one escapes from that sacrifice, not even Mané, who on more than one occasion goes down to defensive positions.
Critics of the coach, however, point out that the footballing display of his team is not in line with the level of the players he has: Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gana Gueye or Édouard Mendy, just to mention a few.
But Senegal’s objective seems clear: to conquer the African Cup of Nations for the first time, that elusive achievement that eluded them in the 2002 and 2019 finals. The team has given them a fairly smooth path and appears as the great favorite in the semifinal , but will face Burkina Faso, a vertical team in attack, which will test the Senegalese defense.
With Salah as leader, Egypt always says present
There are teams that give off a winning aura, no matter how they get to tournaments. In Africa, Egypt is one of those teams. Founding member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), his team won the first two editions of the CAN (1957 and 1959, as the United Arab Republic), is the only one to win the trophy three consecutive times (2006, 2008, 2010) and played their last final in 2017, against all odds.
If the list of favorites for the title for the CAN 2021 appeared behind names like Algeria, Senegal or Cameroon, the start of the contest only increased doubts about the ‘Pharaohs’: tough defeat against Nigeria and tight victories against Guinea Bissau and Sudan.
But from the elimination phase, Carlos Queiroz’s cast changed the sensations. The formula is already known, a marked style of the Portuguese coach: compact formation, priority on defensive solidity and positional order. After that comes the offense and there is Mohamed Salah, who emerged as the decisive man in the 2-1 win over Morocco in the quarter-finals, with a goal and an assist.
Egypt does not shine either, but it has been effective in the instance of the tournament that deserved it. That is why it stands as a great threat to the illusion of the local Cameroon: the semifinal next Thursday at the Olembé stadium in Yaoundé will decide if the ‘Pharaohs’ are still in the race to extend their record in the record with an eighth title, or if the ‘Indomitable Lions’ reach a final to seek a sixth trophy and stay one behind their rival on duty.
Burkina Faso, the ‘outsider’ pursuing a mission
Of the four semi-finalists, Burkina Faso is the least expected. But neither is he unknown in these types of instances: in 12 participations in the CAN, 4 times he got past the group stage and, when he did, he always got into the top four. He was fourth in 1998, runner-up in 2013 and third in 2017. Now he is looking to fill the missing box, first place.
Kamou Malo’s ‘Foals’ have become a surviving team. They overcame an outbreak of Covid-19 at the start of the tournament and remain in the race despite the news coming from their country, submerged in a crisis after the coup that overthrew President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré on January 23 last.
In fact, that sad episode seems to have given the Burkinabe team another mission: to win to bring some joy to their people at a difficult time. In fact, even in the current context, the selected matches have been a source of unity and hubbub. “I take advantage of this platform to pay tribute to this town, which despite everything is still standing. And I say that our team is the image of our people, we will continue standing no matter what happens”, said Kamou Malo after the good victory 1- 0 over Tunisia in the quarterfinals.
In football, the coach has formed a team that favors direct attack, a very vertical attack but not always effective. Against Gabon in the round of 16 and against Tunisia, at least in the first half, they had very clear chances to get things back on track much sooner. He will certainly have to be relentless with the opportunities that come his way against Senegal. But don’t talk to this Burkinabe team about the impossible.
The four selected reached the semifinals after showing their best cards in the quarterfinals. The ‘Pharaohs’ and the ‘Indomitable Lions’ are the biggest winners in the history of the contest. The ‘Leones de la Teranga’ and the ‘Colts’ seek the crown for the first time.
The race for the title in the African Cup of Nations was reduced to four teams: three historical and an entertainer of recent years. Between Cameroon, Senegal, Egypt and Burkina Faso is the next African soccer monarch.
In a contest marked by surprises and the discreet level of the favourites, the four semi-finalists are not entirely unexpected and coincided in showing their best level in the quarterfinals.
Cameroon, with the support of their fans and the strength of their scorers
Cameroon’s run to the semi-finals was the strongest among the four title contenders. The ‘Indomitable Lions’ have accumulated four wins and one draw and are the highest scoring team in the tournament, with 11 goals.
The attacking power is concentrated in their two forwards, who are also the tournament’s top scorers: Vincent Aboubakar scored 6 goals and Karl Toko-Ekambi scored 5, including a brace in the 2-0 win over Gambia.
Without the lights that the two battering rams take, the work of the two lanes of the local team is very outstanding: Collins Fai and Martin Hongla have provided 3 assists each and have silently contributed to the success of the team.
Perhaps the great challenge for Cameroon will be to face their first weight obstacle in the semifinals: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Comoros and Gambia have made up a relatively easy path for those led by Toni Conceiçao. In addition, they have shown some defensive weaknesses: they have attacked him little, but only against Gambia did he manage to finish the game with a clean sheet.
But among the public, no one doubts that Cameroon organized this CAN to win it and the enthusiasm translates into support in the stands. Until now, the ‘Indomitable Lions’ have shown signs of knowing how to manage the pressure and maintain their illusion of reaching their sixth crown, at home.
Senegal, the weight of hierarchy at its best
Measured by the wealth of the squad, Senegal came to Cameroon as the highest-ranking entrant, even above champions Algeria. After most of the tournament, the ‘Desert Foxes’ no longer defend their crown and the ‘Leones de la Teranga’ are in the semifinals.
This team built by Aliou Cissé does not shine, but it is enough for him with moments of inspiration to demonstrate his superiority. But the coach and his players show an enviable belief in one idea: to become strong “collectively”, as the great figure of the squad, Sadio Mané, pointed out after the 3-1 victory over Equatorial Guinea in the quarterfinals.
Cissé formed a reliable team, which is built on defensive solidity (just one goal conceded in 5 games) and is sustained by the contribution of all its members. Against the ‘Nzalang’, for example, 2 of the 3 goals were scored by players who came on in the second half: Cheikhou Kouyaté and Ismaïla Sarr. No one escapes from that sacrifice, not even Mané, who on more than one occasion goes down to defensive positions.
Critics of the coach, however, point out that the footballing display of his team is not in line with the level of the players he has: Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gana Gueye or Édouard Mendy, just to mention a few.
But Senegal’s objective seems clear: to conquer the African Cup of Nations for the first time, that elusive achievement that eluded them in the 2002 and 2019 finals. The team has given them a fairly smooth path and appears as the great favorite in the semifinal , but will face Burkina Faso, a vertical team in attack, which will test the Senegalese defense.
With Salah as leader, Egypt always says present
There are teams that give off a winning aura, no matter how they get to tournaments. In Africa, Egypt is one of those teams. Founding member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), his team won the first two editions of the CAN (1957 and 1959, as the United Arab Republic), is the only one to win the trophy three consecutive times (2006, 2008, 2010) and played their last final in 2017, against all odds.
If the list of favorites for the title for the CAN 2021 appeared behind names like Algeria, Senegal or Cameroon, the start of the contest only increased doubts about the ‘Pharaohs’: tough defeat against Nigeria and tight victories against Guinea Bissau and Sudan.
But from the elimination phase, Carlos Queiroz’s cast changed the sensations. The formula is already known, a marked style of the Portuguese coach: compact formation, priority on defensive solidity and positional order. After that comes the offense and there is Mohamed Salah, who emerged as the decisive man in the 2-1 win over Morocco in the quarter-finals, with a goal and an assist.
Egypt does not shine either, but it has been effective in the instance of the tournament that deserved it. That is why it stands as a great threat to the illusion of the local Cameroon: the semifinal next Thursday at the Olembé stadium in Yaoundé will decide if the ‘Pharaohs’ are still in the race to extend their record in the record with an eighth title, or if the ‘Indomitable Lions’ reach a final to seek a sixth trophy and stay one behind their rival on duty.
Burkina Faso, the ‘outsider’ pursuing a mission
Of the four semi-finalists, Burkina Faso is the least expected. But neither is he unknown in these types of instances: in 12 participations in the CAN, 4 times he got past the group stage and, when he did, he always got into the top four. He was fourth in 1998, runner-up in 2013 and third in 2017. Now he is looking to fill the missing box, first place.
Kamou Malo’s ‘Foals’ have become a surviving team. They overcame an outbreak of Covid-19 at the start of the tournament and remain in the race despite the news coming from their country, submerged in a crisis after the coup that overthrew President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré on January 23 last.
In fact, that sad episode seems to have given the Burkinabe team another mission: to win to bring some joy to their people at a difficult time. In fact, even in the current context, the selected matches have been a source of unity and hubbub. “I take advantage of this platform to pay tribute to this town, which despite everything is still standing. And I say that our team is the image of our people, we will continue standing no matter what happens”, said Kamou Malo after the good victory 1- 0 over Tunisia in the quarterfinals.
In football, the coach has formed a team that favors direct attack, a very vertical attack but not always effective. Against Gabon in the round of 16 and against Tunisia, at least in the first half, they had very clear chances to get things back on track much sooner. He will certainly have to be relentless with the opportunities that come his way against Senegal. But don’t talk to this Burkinabe team about the impossible.