KUMASI, Ghana -- Stephane M'Bia and Cameroon needed extra
time to beat Tunisia 3-2 Monday and reach the semifinals at the
African Cup of Nations.
Defending champion Egypt also advanced, beating Angola 2-1 to
complete the final four. Cameroon will face host Ghana and Egypt
takes on Ivory Coast in Thursday's semis.
M'Bia scored his second of the game in the second minute of
extra time, leading Cameroon to the victory after it wasted a 2-0
first-half lead and allowed the equalizer with 11 minutes
remaining.
"It was a tough match," Cameroon captain Rigobert Song said.
"We scored two goals and then we brought them into the game but
this team has strong mentality."
M'Bia gave Cameroon the lead in the 19th before Geremi doubled
it with a 27th-minute free kick. Chaouki Ben Saada cut the lead in
half with a curling free kick in the 34th and Yasin Chikhaoui
equalized from 15 yards in the 79th.
Earlier, at Kumasi's half-empty stadium, Egypt's Hosni Abd Rabou
converted a penalty for his fourth goal of the tournament in the
23rd, capitalizing on Andre Macanga's handball in the area.
Manucho tied it for Angola in the 27th but Amr Zaki converted
the go-ahead goal in the 38th.
Egypt's semifinal matchup with Ivory Coast will be a repeat of
the 2006 final, which the Pharaohs won on home soil for a record
fifth continental title.
"I am happy because we have qualified," Egypt assistant coach
Shawki Gharib said. "We played a very good game against a good
team."
Angola, which was making its first appearance in the quarters,
had a few chances to equalize in the second half but Manucho missed
in the 46th and 60th.
"We played our own game against Egypt," said coach Luis
Oliveira Goncalves of Angola, which will host the next African Cup
in 2010. "I am satisfied by what my team did."
Ivory Coast advanced to the semis with a 5-0 victory over Guinea
on Sunday just hours after Ghana defeated Nigeria 2-1.
"We have played Ivory Coast before and in the last games in
2006, they proved a great team," Egypt captain Ahmed Hassa said.
"We will be prepared to meet them."
Goalkeeper Lama kept the Black Antelopes in the game with an
acrobatic save to deny Emad Motaeb from the edge of the area in the
66th.
Cameroon, like Ghana, is looking to match Egypt's five titles.