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Final four set Cameroon blanks Egypt; Senegal gets past CongoPosted: Monday February 04, 2002 1:05 PMUpdated: Monday February 04, 2002 4:54 PM
SIKASSO, Mali (Reuters) -- Patrick Mboma's third goal of the tournament gave Cameroon a 1-0 victory over Egypt in the quarterfinals of the African Nations Cup on Monday. In the day's other quarterfinal, World Cup qualifiers Senegal completed the semifinal lineup with a 2-0 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mboma, the reigning African Footballer of the Year, headed home after 62 minutes to set up a semifinal showdown with hosts Mali on Thursday. It promises to be a stern test for the Indomitable Lions with 50,000 fans expected to pack the stadium in Bamako to urge on Mali, who humbled World Cup finalists South Africa in the quarterfinals. Cameroon's German coach Winfried Schafer is under no illusions. "First my congratulations to Mali, they have played very well in their home country... it's going to be hard so we are going to prepare accordingly." Cameroon had eased through the group stage with three wins and they rarely looked in danger of losing their 100 percent record to a dogged but ineffectual Egyptian side. Yet it took Cameroon more than an hour to break the deadlock after wasting a string of chances. Mboma, who plays for Italy's Serie A club Parma, rose above Egypt's defense at a corner to send a glancing header in at the far post -- his first clear sight of goal in the game. Cameroon had chances to put the result beyond doubt when substitute Daniel Ngom Kome hit the bar on 81 minutes and Arsenal's Lauren spurned an opportunity from a few yards out. Mboma's strike made him the tournament's leading scorer, although he picked up a knock late on. But he does not think it will rule him out of the semifinal. "I don't think it's really going to be very important, I'm OK I think," he said. Squandered chances "We have to have a good rest because we are playing in just three days...it's good to be in the semifinal but our target is to win the tournament. "I hope I can keep this position [as leading scorer] to the end but the most important thing is the trophy." Earlier, Mallorca striker Samuel Eto'o had squandered two perfect chances to open the scoring at the start of each half. A powerful shot by Bologna defender Pierre Wome after four minutes was blocked on the edge of the box. Eto'o collected the ball and burst through on goal only to be denied by a splendid save from Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary. Eto'o had another four half-chances in the first period but fired wide twice, was crowded out by the Egyptian defence after hesitating and was expertly tackled by defender Amr Fahim when poised to shoot from close range. At the start of the second half, El Hadary fluffed his clearance, passing it straight to an unmarked Eto'o. The young Spanish-based striker rounded the goalkeeper easily but somehow scooped his shot over the bar with the empty net at his mercy. Egypt strung their passes together well at the back, but the Cameroon midfield and defense easily snuffed out any attacks. Only in the last five minutes did Egypt come close to scoring as they swept forward seeking an equalizer and even then Cameroon were more than equal to the task. Egypt captain Hany Ramzy admitted: "We didn't really try to score the goal. We always thought with zero-zero we could play until the end but after [going one down] we lost our power and I think Cameroon deserved their win. "It's very hard for Egyptian football because it was our only chance [of success] after we didn't qualify for the World Cup. "We are out...we have to think positively and we have to build a new team with new players for the next Nations Cup." Senegal survives stormy clash to reach semisBAMAKO -- Goals from midfielder Alassane Diao and El Hadj Ousseynou Diouf smoothed their passage before Congo's Alexis Tekumu became the first player to be sent off in the tournament at the end of a stormy contest. Senegal's victory -- securing them a place in the last four for the first time since 1990 -- ensured three of Africa's World Cup finalists have reached the semifinals in Mali. The Lions face Nigeria in an eagerly-anticipated clash in Bamako on Thursday. Hosts Mali, the only last-four team not headed for the World Cup, play defending champions Cameroon, who also won on Monday. The breakthrough for Senegal came on 31 minutes as Diao rose above the Congolese defence to powerfully head home a curling free kick from Khalilou Fadiga after Senegal had earlier twice been denied by Congo goalkeeper and captain Paulin Tokala. Ousseynou Diouf added the second four minutes from time after unselfish play by substitute Souleymane Camara, who beat the offside trap, drew the goalkeeper and slipped the ball through for Diouf to tap home. Hot dispute The goal was hotly disputed by the Congolese with Tokala cautioned and then coming close to a red card as he persisted with his remonstrations. Tokala had twice bravely come off his line to deny Diouf and Henri Camara in the first 20 minutes as Senegal applied all the early pressure. Diouf looked suspiciously offside but was allowed to run on to a quick through ball in the 10th minute only for Tokala to burst out of his goal and smoother the attacker's chance. A clever dummy by Diouf eight minutes later put Camara free but again the goalkeeper reacted quickly to make the save. Congo, who were surprise qualifiers for the last eight, had a chance to equalise before halftime when Singa Mazangala crept in unmarked at the back post, but struck his shot wide. Tensions boiled over in the 36th minute after a crude tackle by Felix Muamba on Senegal's Ferdinand Coly, who then stamped on the Congolese player in retaliation before a melee broke out between the teams. Both Muamba and Coly were yellow carded by the Italian referee Domenico Messina. Congo came close again in the 59th minute when defender Essele Bakasu powered a header goalwards from a corner, but it was cleared off the line by Senegal defender Omar Daf. Tekumu was sent off in the 88th minute for a reckless challenge on Senegal's Pape Boba Diop. Congo-Senegal SummaryBAMAKO -- DR Congo 0 Senegal 2 - result African Nations Cup quarterfinal: Scorers: Alassane Diao, 31, El Hadj Ousseynou Diouf 86 Red card: Alexis Tekumu (DR Congo) 88 Halftime: 0-1; Attendance: 15,000 Teams: DR Congo: 12-Paulin Tokala; 4-Yves Yuvuladio, 13-Dikilu Bageta, 20-Felix Muamba, 5-Essele Bakasu, 11-Papy Kimoto, 19-Marcel Mbayo (16-Patrick Apataki 82), 10-Kanku Mulekelayi (17-Singa Mazangala 26), 7-Pathy Nsele Esengo, 9-Lomana Tresor Lualua, 14-Jean-Paul Boeka Lisasi (21-Alexis Tekumu 48) Senegal: 1-Tony Sylva; 2-Omar Daf, 6-Aliou Cisse, 13-Lamine Diatta, 17-Ferdinand Coly, 3-Pape Sarr, 15-Alassane Diao, 20-Sylvain Ndiaye (19-Pape Bouba Diop 75), 7-Henri Camara (9-Souleymane Camara 81), 10-Khalilou Fadiga, 11-El Hadj Ousseynou Diouf Referee: Domenico Messina (Italy)
Cameroon-Egypt SummarySIKASSO, Mali -- Cameroon 1 Egypt 0 -- result African Nations Cup quarterfinal Scorer: Patrick Mboma 62 Halftime: 0-0; Attendance: 11,000 Teams: Cameroon: 1-Boukar Alioum; 2-Bill Tchato, 5-Raymond Kalla, 4-Rigobert Song, 8-Geremi Fotso Njitap, 3-Pierre Wome, 17-Marc- Vivien Foe, 12-Lauren Etame Mayer, 20-Salomon Olembe, (21- Daniel Ngom Kome 73), 9-Samuel Eto'o (19-Patrick Suffo 90), 10- Patrick Mboma Egypt: 16-Essam El Hadary; 3-Mohamed Omara, 4-Hany Ramzy, 5-Abdelzaher El Saqqa, 2-Amr Fahim (13-Wael Gomaa 53), 8-Yasser Radwan, 12-Mohamed Barakat, 17-Ahmed Hassan (7-Khaled El Amin 81), 14-Hazem Imam, 18-Ahmed Hossam, 19-Ahmed Salah Hosny (9- Gamal Hamza 66) Referee: Mourad Daami (Tunisia)
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