By 
Egypt won their third consecutive match in extra time to reach Sunday’s final against Senegal. A nervy 0-0 draw saw Cameroon dominate the first half but lack the creative edge of their earlier matches – then ended when Egypt kept their cool in the shootout to prevail.
Cameroon hit the crossbar twice in 90 through Michael Ngadeu and Samuel Gouet.
Cameroon dominated proceedings in the early exchange of the game as they generated almost all their attacks on the right flank.Moumi Ngamaleu and Frank Zambo Anguissa sent in wonderful cross from that flank but Egyptian goalkeeper Mohamed Gabaski was brave in goal to punch away both crosses to ensure the eventful first half ended with nothing on the scoreline.
The Pharaohs came back for the second half a much improved side as they generated some attacks towards the Cameroonian end.
Marmoush danced in from the left, throwing in a nutmeg on Fai as he made his way into the box but ran into Castelletto, who wasn’t giving ground, but that silky run was more evidence of Egypt’s newly found positivity.
In little time and space for Mohammed Salah, just to the right of the Egypt attack, droped a shoulder to glide inside and attempted a diagonal defence-splitter towards substitute Mohammad Trezeguet on the left but there was too much onto that pass for Andre Onana to claim easily.
Onana was brilliant once again just before the hour mark when he raced off his line to stop Salah in-charging run following Martin Hongla’s attempted back-pass.
It was then Cameroon’s turn to attack the Egyptian end as Anguisa dribbled down the middle of the park- a fine run that nearly saw him burst into the box, but he slipped on the edge of the area and the ball was half cleared whereupon it’s met by Gouet from almost 40 yards out.
He purchased a ticket for the lottery taking a first-time flay, connecting so sweetly that the ball whistled inches high and wide of the top-left post.
With five minutes to the final whistle, Egypt made a double change of Mohammed Elneny and Omar Kamal who were replaced by Mohammed Ashour and El- Sayeed Lashin and on the other side, Ngamaleu, one of Cameroon’s star performers on evening was completely out of gas and trudged off to be replaced by Clinton N’Jie.
Egypt had to finish the game with a coach as Carlos Queiroz was sent off for acting not unsportingly.
He was first booked for flapping his gums too often before a second yellow came few minutes later for expressing his anger toward the referees
He first refused to go down the tunnel but thankfully he was pulled away by one of his assistants to stop a full and frank exchange. He went down the tunnel effinv and jeffing on the way.
Towards to the end of the added time, Trezeguet opted for a shot from a distance rather than to pass to Salah, who was in a good area. The Aston Villa man cut in from the left and took a pop from distance that went miles wide to the disappointment of the Liverpool forward.
With various tired bodies, the nerves betrayed everyone. Ngadeu almost did a mistake but lucky he got enough on a backpass to his keeper Onana, who had to come out once again to deal with another Salah situation.
With spotkicks in mind, Ahmed Sayed Zizo was introduced on for Mohammad Sheriff. Sherif had earlier came in the extra time.
Ramathan Sobhi had the game’s last attempt when he worked his way down the right and fizzed in a low ball across the face of the goal but none of the Egyptians failed to connect with it.
And surely it was penalties on the card for the two teams.
Penalties it was and Gabaski, who stepped up after Egypt’s first-choice keeper Mohamed El Shenawy was injured in their last-16 win over Ivory Coast, provided the heroics to ensure his side won their sixth shootout in a row to progress to the final. He saved two penalties for The Pharaohs to head into Sunday’s final with the Lions of Teranga.
