Vincent Aboubakar scored a brilliant late goal to hand unfancied Cameroon a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Egypt and their fifth African Nations Cup title in an entertaining final on Sunday.
Cameroon, who had eight of their players withdraw before the tournament, came from a goal down after midfielder Mohamed Elneny had put Egypt ahead midway through the first half.
Nicolas Nkoulou equalised on the hour and, as Egypt tired, Cameroon appeared to find a new gear, creating several chances before Aboubakar struck the winner in the 88th minute after chesting the ball down and flicking it over defender Ali Gabr.
It was Cameroon’s first title since 2002 and denied Egypt a triumphant return to the tournament they last won in 2010, while at the same time inflicting a first loss on the North African side in 25 Nations Cup matches dating back to 2004.
14 January: Burkina Faso 1-1 Cameroon
A brilliant Benjamin Moukandjo free-kick was not enough for Cameroon to win their opening game at the Africa Cup of Nations as Burkina Faso battled back to draw 1-1.
Moukandjo, the Indomitable Lions captain, curled in a superb effort from a dead ball 10 minutes before the interval in the Group A game at the Stade de l’Amitie in Libreville.
However, 2013 runners-up Burkina Faso recovered to equalise with a quarter of an hour left, Issoufou Dayo bundling the ball in with a close range header after Banou Diawara’s free-kick was saved.
The result meant there was nothing between any of the sides in Group A after hosts Gabon were held to a 1-1 draw by Guinea-Bissau in the tournament’s opening match earlier in the day.
18 January: Cameroon 2-1 Guinea-Bissau
Cameroon closed in on the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations by beating Guinea-Bissau 2-1 while hosts Gabon were left still waiting for a win despite another goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Indomitable Lions came from behind to defeat Guinea-Bissau with Sebastien Siani and Michael Ngadeu netting after Piqueti’s contender for goal of the tournament had given the debutants the lead.
Cameroon now knew a draw against Gabon in their final Group A game would secure them a place in the last eight after a build-up to the finals marred by the refusal of several marquee names to accept call-ups.
22 January: Cameroon 0-0 Gabon
There was agony for Gabon as the Africa Cup of Nations hosts were condemned to a group-stage exit following a goalless draw with Cameroon in Libreville.
Star man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was guilty of a glaring early miss while Denis Bouanga broke down in tears at the end after hitting the post at the death as the Panthers played out a third draw in as many games.
Despite ending the group stage unbeaten, Gabon become just the fourth host nation and the first since Tunisia in 1994 to be eliminated from the Cup of Nations in the group stage.
In contrast, Cameroon, after a build-up to the competition marred by the withdrawals of key players, went through to the last eight as runners-up in Group A.
28 January: Senegal (4) 0-0 (5) Cameroon
Sadio Mane agonisingly missed from the spot to allow Cameroon to beat Senegal 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out in their Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinal tie. The match went to penalties after a goalless 120 minutes in the southern Gabonese town of Franceville.
After each side had successfully converted their first four kicks, Liverpool star Mane’s effort was stopped by Fabrice Ondoa in the Cameroon goal.
Vincent Aboubakar then stepped up to score and take the Indomitable Lions through to the last four at the expense of a Senegal side who were widely fancied coming into the tournament.
Cameroon, who also beat Senegal on penalties in the final of the 2002 Cup of Nations, could then look forward to a semi-final tie against Ghana in Franceville.
2 February: Cameroon 2-0 Ghana
Cameroon booked a date with Egypt in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final following a 2-0 win over Ghana in the second semifinal played at the Stade de Franceville, in the Gabonese city of Franceville.
Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui and Christian Bassogog were on target for the Indomitable Lions as their fairytale run continued as Hugo Broos led Cameroon to their first final since 2008.
5 February: Egypt 1-2 Cameroon
Vincent Aboubakar came off the bench to score a stunning winner with two minutes left as Cameroon fought back to beat Egypt 2-1 in a thrilling Africa Cup of Nations final in Libreville.
Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny had given Egypt the lead midway through the first half and Egypt looked to be on course to win an unrivalled eighth Cup of Nations crown in their first appearance at the tournament since 2010.
But Nicolas Nkoulou, who had come off the bench in the first half, headed in the equaliser just before the hour mark and fellow substitute Aboubakar slammed in the winner in the 88th minute.
That sparked bedlam in a near-capacity crowd of more than 38 000 in Gabon’s capital, made up chiefly of Cameroonian supporters.
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