The quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations begin this Saturday, January 29, with two enticing posters on paper. The host country, Cameroon, will face the surprising Gambian team in Douala (5 p.m.). Later in the evening, Tunisia will face Burkina Faso in Garoua (8 p.m.).
Gambia-Cameroon, an unbalanced poster
The Gambian team is the big surprise of this CAN 2022. For their first participation in the continental competition, the Scorpions achieve a faultless course. First tied in its group with Mali (2 wins, 1 draw), the 150th world nation in the FIFA rankings took out Guinea in 90 minutes in the quarter-finals, thanks to a goal from Musa Barrow, the star of this team. . Solid defensively (1 goal conceded), interesting offensively despite unknown players (1 goal scored in each match), Gambia will face the Cameroonian mountains, in Douala.
The host country, the best attack of the tournament (9 goals scored, including 6 by captain Vincent Aboubakar), after a group stage negotiated without too many hitches (2 wins and a draw conceded against Cape Verde), acts as ‘scarecrow. In an astonishing and very pleasant match, the Indomitable Lions were able to get out of the trap set by the Comoros, who even at 10 against 11, were dangerous until the end. Toni Conceiçao’s men are making their way, carried by the Cameroonian people, and could face another favorite, Senegal (opposed to Equatorial Guinea), in the semi-finals.
Burkina Faso-Tunisia, a duel of resilience
Burkina Faso and Tunisia have come a long way. The two nations had started their competition badly, falling respectively against Cameroon (1-2) and Mali (0-1). The Burkinabés, disturbed by a coup which is currently taking place in their country, reacted well by taking four points against Cape Verde and Ethiopia, enough to qualify for the round of 16. Where they overcame Gabon, after the penalty shootout (1-1, 7-6), when they were joined at the last minute of regulation time on one against his midfielder Adama Guira.
Carried by Bertrand Traoré, the Stallions have reached the CAN semi-finals only once in their history. It was five years ago in Gabon. They will have every chance against the Tunisians, a miracle from the group stage. Wahbi Khazri’s teammates, defeated twice in Group F by Mali (0-1) and Gambia (0-1), gleaned their ticket to the knockout phase thanks to a great success over Mauritania (4 -0). The Carthage Eagles then performed well by beating Nigeria in the round of 16, the team in form at the start of the tournament (1-0). This Saturday evening, they will want to repeat their performance of 2019, in Egypt, where they had reached the last four, released after extra time by the Senegalese in the half.