Cameroon on Saturday evening ended Gambia’s fairytale run at the African Cup of Nations as they ran out 2-0 victors at the Japoma Stadium, Douala in the first quarterfinal fixture of the competition.
The hosts faced a Gambian team, that had gained so many admirers at the competition for their confidence and desire to take on games fearlessly, and had to wait for almost an hour before breaking the stubborn West Africans.
Vincent Aboubakar, who’s currently on six goals and so far the top scorer at the ongoing AFCON tested the Gambian goal on occasions but met a resolute defending and great goalkeeping. The curtain raiser however came from Karl Toko-Ekambi, arguably the Indomitable Lions’ finest player so far in the competition. Toko-Ekambi scored a 50th-minute header to give Cameroon the lead before doubling the advantage three minutes before the hour mark.
The Gambians never bounced back in the game and struggled to contain a superior opposition on the day.
Gambia’s Belgian coach, Tom Saintfiet, whose videos have trended at the AFCON for his excellent delivery of motivational team talks, expressed his pride with what they were able to attain in the competition. The debutants gave a good account of themselves throughout and ruffled enough feathers before bowing out with their shoulders held high.
“I am proud of my players, in the tournament but also in this match where we lost (0-2) against a great team from Cameroon, we were beaten by the future champions of ‘Africa. We made mistakes that we paid for in cash, that’s also the high level. There were tears in the locker room but Gambia and its players can be proud of the course, we will bounce back very quickly and return to the front of the stage,” Saintfiet said.
In the second quarterfinal fixture, the Stallions of Burkina Faso trampled upon the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia at the Roumdé Adjia Stadium in Garoua. The Burkinabes took the initiative early in the game and looked the sharper opponent in the opening exchanges. The young West Africans looked the more dangerous side in the game, exposing the Tunisians on a number of occasions before Dango Ouattara scored what proved to be the winner in the additional time of the first half.
A beautiful and fast counter-attack saw the Tunisia defence exposed in seconds, leaving Ouattara with the difficult job of finishing to do. The Lorient attacker showed enough awareness and presence of mind to beat two defenders before unleashing a powerful shot past Bechir Ben Said in the Tunisian goal.
The goal proved enough to take the Stallions to the semifinal despite having to deal with the small matter of a numerical disadvantage when the hero of the night, Ouattara almost walked on the fringes of villainy when he got his marching orders in the 82nd minute.
The opposition of both teams will be decided after tomorrow’s games between Egypt and Morocco and Senegal against Equatorial Guinea.
