Cameroon joined Burkina Faso in the last four with a shootout win over Senegal.
Senegal's star man Sadio Mane of Liverpool missed the crucial spot kick, allowing Vincent Aboubakar to convert the final penalty to send Cameroon through. Senegal coach Aliou Cissé guided star striker Sadio Mané off the pitch following the penalty shoot-out defeat to Cameroon on the last eight of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Mané’s penalty was saved by Cameroon keeper Fabrice Ondoa and seconds later Vincent Aboubakar thrashed home Cameroon’s fifth kick to give them victory. Mané was in tears as the Cameroon squad celebrated an unlikely win. Before the clash in Franceville, Senegal were considered favourites to reach their first semi-final since 2002.
Saturday night’s success is Cameroon’s first visit to the last four since their run to the final in Egypt in 2008.
Senegal, who possess a host of European stars, were favorites to win the competition, but were held to a stalemate as Cameroon frustrated them for 120 minutes. Senegal and Cameroon had failed to break the deadlock during 120 minutes of the match when, after eight clinically converted penalties, up stepped their talisman: Liverpool's Sadio Mane.
Perhaps Senegal's complaints over the stop-start run-up by Jacques Zoua, Cameroon's previous taker, had distracted him; Mane's penalty was at a good height for the Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa, who saved superbly to his right, and it was left to Vincent Aboubakar to thump his spot-kick home and give the Indomitable Lions a stunning victory. They will face either DR Congo or Ghana in the semifinals on Wednesday.
It was somewhat cruel for Senegal, who'd dominated the game's early stages.
Africa Team