Ekambi Fires Hosts Cameroon into Semi Finals

• Burkina Faso shocks Tunisia 1-0 to reach last 4

Duro Ikhazuagbe

On the day Cameroonian ball fans were expecting highest goals scorer of the tournament, Vincent Aboubakar, to increase his tally, it was Karl Toko Ekambi who scored two second-half goals last night as hosts Cameroon beat The Gambia to move into the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Toko Ekambi headed his country ahead in the 50th minute, glancing in from Collins Fai’s right-wing cross.

It became 2-0 seven minutes later with Toko Ekambi finishing at the back post following Martin Hongla’s low delivery.

Cameroon will play either Egypt or Morocco in the semi-final on Thursday, with the final next Sunday.

The Gambia were competing in the tournament for the first time and beat Mauritania and Tunisia in the group phase to reach the knockout stages, before eliminating Guinea in the last 16.

But, in front of a passionate home crowd at Japoma Stadium in Douala, The Gambia were outclassed and could have fallen behind in the first half.

Fai fired into the side-netting from 30 yards before Vincent Aboubakar – the tournament’s leading goalscorer with six – glanced a header just wide, and was then denied from another close-range header as goalkeeper Baboucarr Gaye produced an excellent save.

Elsewhere, Teenager Dango Ouattara scored the only goal and was sent off as Burkina Faso surprised Tunisia 1-0 to reach the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.

Ouattara, 19, ran onto Blati Toure’s through ball, held off two defenders and cut inside before firing in.

But he was then sent off in the 82nd minute for an elbow on Ali Maaloul.

The Stallions, who have never won the tournament, will meet the winner of today’s game between Senegal and Equatorial Guinea.

But they will be without Ouattara, now suspended after his late dismissal. It came after referee Joshua Bondo’s second trip to the monitor for a video assistant referee check in quick succession.

Minutes earlier, Tunisia were denied a penalty as Soumaila Ouattara caught Wahbi Khazri with a high tackle in the box after initially winning the ball.

Burkina Faso, who are ranked 60th in the world, have won all four Afcon quarters they have ever played including three in the past four tournaments. Tunisia, ranked 30th, have lost six of their past seven.

Kamou Malo’s side were hanging on at the end but the Eagles of Carthage, who beat Nigeria in the last 16, never really looked like equalising.