AFCON Semi-Finals Preview: Burkina Faso vs Senegal and Cameroon vs Egypt for a place in Yaounde final
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Updated 02/02/2022 at 12:15 GMT
Egypt's Mo Salah wants his countrymen to write a new chapter in their history as they enter the final stages of their AFCON campaign. The Pharaohs face Cameroon on Thursday in the second semi-final, after Burkina Faso take on Senegal on Wednesday. Salah reckons it will take a "collective effort" to triumph as he warned against any dependency on him.
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Mo Salah says his Egypt side must make up for past woes when they face Cameroon on Thursday night in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.
Egypt haven't won the trophy since 2010, falling at the final hurdle in 2017 against Cameroon - their opponents again in Yaounde - and getting knocked out in the round of 16 of their home tournament in 2019.
But Salah .
"In the first place, we have a duty to prove to the entire world that the Pharaohs still have what it takes to be crowned champions of Africa," Salah told the Guardian of Nigeria.
"We disappointed our fans in 2019, when we hosted the tournament. We have to make amends this time.
“This is a new generation of Pharaohs.
"After the defeat against Nigeria (in the group stage on January 11) we had to rearrange ourselves.
"We have seen so many upsets in this tournament, and we know the only way to move on is to continue to improve on our game.
"I am happy we beat Tunisia to make it to the semi-finals. It does not end there though.
“We have Cameroon as our next opponents, and we will double our efforts.
"It will take a collective effort. Yes, I am the team captain, but Salah alone can’t do it.
"We are in a competition, and I believe if we take our chances, we can overcome Cameroon and possibly go on and win the trophy on February 6."
There appears to be no clear favourite for the title.
Burkina Faso go in as the big underdog, despite impressive performances in getting to the last four.
They overcame Gabon in the round of 16 on penalties before beating Tunisia in the quarter-finals, with Dango Ouattara scoring the only goal of the game.
Defence has been their strong point so far, keeping two clean sheets and conceding just four goals in their five matches.
Ranked 60th in the FIFA rankings, they will hope to topple the might of a Senegal side featuring Sadio Mane, who they will face in Wednesday night's tie at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium.
Senegal's route to the last four has been similarly founded on a stubborn backline, with Chelsea's Edouard Mendy seeing just one ball go past him all tournament - Jannick Buyla's strike for Equatorial Guinea in Sunday's quarter-final.
Senegal - who have never won the AFCON, losing in the final of the 2019 edition to Algeria - saw off Cape Verde 2-0 in the round of 16 with goals from Mane and Bamba Dieng.
Cameroon topped Group A to progress to the knockouts, and have beaten Comoros and Gambia to reach the semis.
Karl Toko Ekambi has been their star man so far, scoring twice against Gambia and once against Comoros.
Opponents Egypt will have their work cut out to stop the in-form 29-year-old Lyon man but they will boast their own quality forwards in the shape of Salah and Aston Villa' Trezeguet, the latter scoring in extra-time to down Morocco in their quarter-final.
Mane could therefore meet Liverpool team-mate Salah in the final, which would add another layer of intrigue to an already compelling tournament.
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