Cameroon beat Senegal to reach Cup of Nations semi-final

Senegal coach Aliou Cissé guided star striker Sadio Mané off the pitch on Saturday night following their side’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Cameroon on the last eight of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa (left) and skipper Benjamin Moukandjo were star performers during their quarter-final victory over Senegal.. AFP/Issouf Sanogo

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.
 

Fifteen years ago, Cissé skippered the side that reached the final. He missed a penalty during the shoot-out in the showdown against Cameroon.

Saturday night’s success is Cameroon’s first visit to the last four since their run to the final in Egypt in 2008.

"We have the possibility to write a beautiful page in our history and we do not want to stop here," Cameroon captain Benjamin Moukandjo told Canal Plus Afrique. "We're going one game at a time. We have a semi-final to play and we hope it will be as beautiful as this."

Despite Cameroon’s packed defence, Senegal had the better chances in normal time.
"Our performance was good. We tried to play football against a side who were well organised and got men behind the ball," said Cissé. "We know about penalties. It comes down to luck. They won it and I wish them good luck."