Senegal blow Africa Cup chance

Senegal and Sadio Mane blew it at the Africa Cup of Nations, with the title favourite’s star missing the decisive spot kick.

Senegal and Sadio Mane blew it at the Africa Cup of Nations, with the title favourite’s star missing the decisive spot kick in a 5-4 penalty shootout loss to Cameroon in the quarter-finals.

Liverpool star Mane saw his penalty, Senegal’s fifth and final, saved by Cameroon goalkeeper Joseph Ondoa.

Stunned, Mane turned to face his dejected teammates on the halfway line and muttered something under his breath.

Substitute Vincent Aboubakar then stepped up to blast underdog Cameroon into the last four of the tournament, setting off crazy celebrations from the players. Goalkeeper Ondoa leapt over the advertising boards and sprinted to the Cameroon fans, holding the Cameroon team badge on his shirt and punching his chest.

“We know that Senegal have so much quality but Cameroon showed that we are a great football country and we are happy about what we did,” Ondoa said.

He was pursued by teammates and even coach Hugo Broos, who ran across the field with his arms in the air, jumping in delight.

The game in Franceville finished 0-0 after extra time and Cameroon won 5-4 in the shootout, with Mane’s the only miss.

Cameroon is a four-time African champion but its last title was in 2002, ironically when it beat Senegal in a penalty shootout.

Earlier, Burkina Faso was first into the semi-finals after two late goals beat Tunisia 2-0.

Aristide Bance hammered home a controversial free-kick in the 81st minute to break the deadlock and a breakaway goal from Prejuce Nakoulma settled the result as unfancied Burkina Faso reached the last four for the second time in four years.

They will now meet the winners of last night’s quarter-final between Egypt and Morocco in a semi-final to be played in Libreville on Wednesday.

Burkina Faso were fortunate to be given a free-kick on the edge of the Tunisian area after Syem Ben Youssef was adjudged to have handled the ball. Television replays showed it had hit his chest.

Bance took the opportunity to blast a low shot through the wall to open the scoring just when the game seemed to be heading into extra time.

It was pretty much the big striker’s first act of the game.

“I knew that Bance could get inside that defence and he has a great ability to shoot,” Burkina Faso coach Paulo Duarte said. “Fortunately for us, the first shot was a success.”

Tunisia then pushed forward, with time running out, and forced a corner but with all their players committed they were caught by a fast clearance that saw Nakoulma take the ball into his own half, go past Tunisia goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi and confirm the victory.

The result left Duarte with tears in his eyes. “The game was won on small details. We were afraid of Tunisia’s capability but we are delighted to go through,” Duarte said..

Egypt, the most successful team in African Cup of Nations history, secured their place in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Ghana.

The fourth quarterfinal was also played overnight. Cameroon will face Ghana or Congo.

Ghana has often been rated one of the best teams at the African Cup but hasn’t won the title since 1982, losing three times in the final since then

AP