Q-final: Cameroon 1-3 Egypt

Two goals in five minutes at the start of extra-time helped defending champions Egypt book their place in the African Nations Cup semi-final with a battling victory over Cameroon.
The game, though, was marred by a controversial third goal by midfielder Ahmed Hassan which was allowed to stand by referee Jerome Damon despite replays showing the ball had clearly not crossed the line
By that time the Pharaohs' captain, who was winning a record 170th cap for his country, had already scored an own goal to put the Indomitable Lions ahead after 26 minutes.
Hassan scored again at the other end to pull his side level with a powerful long-range strike before half-time which eventually forced the game into an additional 30 minutes in Benguela.
Substitute Mohamed Gedo then capitalized on an error from Geremi Njitap to put Egypt ahead in extra-time, before Hassan's controversial strike handed them a two-goal cushion.
To make matters worse for Paul Le Guen's Cameroon, Aurelien Chedjou was sent off late on as the north Africans set up a tantalizing last-four clash with old foes Algeria.
There seemed to be some extra bite from the Cameroonians at the start as they looked determined to end the Egyptian stronghold over them that had been so evident in recent meetings.
But there were no real chances to speak off, apart from a flurry of early Achille Emana corners that were all comfortably dealt with, while the Pharaohs' best chance came when a floated Mohamed Zidan free-kick was headed over by a diving Ahmed Al-Muhammadi.
The deadlock was finally broken when the seventh corner from Emana on the left was too strong for Hassan's weak-header on the line and he nodded into his own net at the near post as the defending champions fell behind.
The Indomitable Lions continued to crank up the pressure, but were taken by surprise when Hassan unleashed a fierce 35-yard strike that was poorly dealt with by a scampering Carlos Kameni and kicked off the turf before flying in.
That goal came in the 37th minute and moments later Hassan was again in the mix when his right-sided cross was wastefully headed wide by Hosni Abd Rabou.
Emana then saw his low strike from outside the penalty area kept out by a scampering Essam El-Hadary with both sides going in level at the break.

Egypt almost took the lead straight from the restart when a long ball from their goalkeeper was left to bounce by Chedjou and Emad Moteab's attempted flicked finish was cut out by Kameni.
Zidan was then twice in good positions, but missed out - first he was put through by Sayed Moawad only to be let down by a wayward final strike, and thereafter stealing the ball off Chedjou inside the penalty area before an acrobatic stop from the Cameroonian custodian helped keep his side level.
Emana tried to respond for his side with a powerful 20-yard strike straight at El-Hadary, before the anonymous Samuel Eto'o finally got a shot in on goal in the 78th minute which was comfortably dealt with by the Egypt goalkeeper.
Moteab could have won the game right at the death after he was picked out at the back post by a sweeping pass from Hassan, but the Al-Ahly forward could only find the side netting as the game entered extra-time.
Hassan Shehata's men then wasted no time in killing off the tie going 3-1 up after 95 minutes.
They were gifted both goals - the first when Geremi's poor back-pass from the right was intercepted by Gedo and tucked away with ease through the legs of Kameni two minutes after the resumption.
The second seems certain to land South African referee Damon in the spotlight after Hassan's free-kick from the left was pushed onto the underside of the crossbar by the Espanyol goalkeeper and did not cross the line when it hit the ground, but was still allowed to stand much to the dismay of the Cameroon players.
It also seemed to knock the stuffing out of Le Guen's men as they failed to create any major openings in the closing 25 minutes.
To make matters worse, Chedjou was shown straight red for hauling down last-man Gedo midway through the second period of extra-time with Egypt going on to seal a memorable win.

Nigeria vs. Zambia Preview

Peter Odemwingie believes Nigeria must beat Zambia in the African Nations Cup quarter-finals to attain glory.
Two years ago the Super Eagles were dumped out by hosts Ghana at the same stage but they are keen to make amends when they come up against this year's surprise contenders.
The Zambian team are abuzz with confidence ahead of the last-eight clash in Lubango, but the Lokomotiv Moscow forward is confident the west Africans can silent them.
"We need to be brave against them," Odemwingie said. "I do not think Nigeria is afraid of anybody. All we do is that we respect teams, just as they respect us.
"If you look at the results already achieved in this competition, big teams have been shocked, but their character and pedigree has brought them back.
"We went out in the quarter-final two years ago, we can't afford to lose out again at this stage or else we have not done anything to improve in the last two years."
Odemwingie, who has scored two goals so far in the tournament, also revealed that Nigeria's 3-0 win over Mozambique in their final group game has helped to lift spirits after below-par performances in their previous games.
He added: "Against Mozambique, Nigeria really announced our entry into the competition. My goals have brought out our confidence and now we believe we can go further to win the cup."
However, Shaibu Amodo's team will have to make do without Captain Joseph Yobo, as the Everton defender has been ruled out of the competition due to a hamstring injury.
Zambia midfielder Felix Katongo is not fazed by the size of the task faced by his underdog side.
The Chipolopolo surprisingly topped Group D ahead of the likes of Cameroon and Tunisia to seal a place in the last eight for the first time since 1996.
Katongo told www.mtnfootball.com: "Football is not played on paper. The result is only after 90 minutes.
"We respect big players, but on the pitch we are the same. The team that works the hardest will win the game.
"We were not surprised (by our progress). This is a new era for Zambian football."
However, Herve Renard's team will have to make do without influential midfielder Kalaba Rainford, who played key roles in the 3-2 loss to Cameroon and 2-1 win over Gabon in the opening stages.
                              

Q-final: Nigeria 0-0 Zambia (Nigeria win 5-4 pen)

Nigeria sealed a place in the African Nations Cup semi-finals with a shoot-out victory over Zambia in Angola.
Vincent Enyeama was the hero for Nigeria saving one penalty and then scoring the crucial final one to help his side through.
The Super Eagles, outplayed for large parts of the clash in Lubango, looked to be heading for the exit door after struggling in the face of their determined opponents, who did everything apart from finding the back of the net during the 120 minutes of open play.
They had chances aplenty, in the second half especially, but failed to convert any with the heartbreak of spot-kicks eventually deciding their fate - Thomas Nyrienda missing the one penalty that made all the difference.
It handed Shaibu Amodu's team a place in the last four, where they will face fierce West African rivals Ghana on Thursday.
But in what was an indifferent showing, they looked the more dangerous of the two sides through the opening exchanges of the game, with their confidence from the 3-0 win over Mozambique in their last group game still evident.

Despite their dominance, though, they failed to carve out too many openings.
In fact, it was the Zambians that created the first real scare when a Felix Katongo corner caused some discomfort for goalkeeper Enyeama who charged off his line and flapped at thin air.
At the other end, the first shot for Nigeria came in the 15th minute when Dickson Etuhu struck a low 20-yard effort straight at Kennedy Mweene, before the Chipolopolo goalkeeper was forced into a scrambled save after a sweeping move from Nigeria ended with a low 20-yard strike from John Obi Mikel.
Jacob Mulenga tried to hit back for his side with a good lay off for Chris Katongo that was nodded wide from close range, while James Chamanga then missed the best chance of the half for his side when he only partly connected a pin-point cross from the left as the sides went in level at the break.
Herve Renard's men began the second half positively with Felix cutting inside from the left and unleashing a 25-yard strike that bounced wickedly in front of Enyeama, who was taken by surprise as the ball deflected off his body and away from the danger area.


There was certainly a spring in the step of the Zambians with Mulenga and Chamanga both carving out half-chances, before Hijani Himonde saw his six-yard header from a Felix corner scrambled off the line by Yusuf Mohamed.
Ayegbeni Yakubu then found himself free at the back post, but took too long to pull the trigger as the Super Eagles looked rattled by their plucky opponents.
Another Felix corner and another goal-line clearance were needed to prevent the opener - Mohamed again the saviour as Mulenga tried to capitalize with a quick shot.
With time running out Emmanuel Mayuka put a free header into the crowd and Mulenga shot agonisingly wide as the game went into extra time.

The tempo seemed to have lifted when the game was restarted with substitute Victor Obinna playing in a good low cross to Obafemi Martins from the left, but the Wolfsburg pulled his shot wide.
But the Nigerians then went back into a shell as they sat back and watched their opponents show plenty of endeavour without reward - the two sides reaching the 105-minute mark still inseparable.
The start of the final period was just as sprightly, but this time in favour of the Zambians, who gained the advantage after Onyekachi Apam was given his marching orders following a second caution for a push on Emmanuel Mayuka.
William Njovu and Martins both had chances to win the game late on, but were let down by poor finishing leaving the game to be decided by penalties.
Mikel, Martins, Obinna, Peter Odemwingie and Enyeama all scored for their side, but despite Noah Chivuta, Katongo, Mayuka and Mweene netting for Zambia, Nyrienda missed the crucial fourth kick when Enyeama made an impressive stop to his right.
The Hapoel Tel Aviv goalkeeper then stepped up to score the goal and kill off the brave southern Africans.