Cameroon vs. Egypt: AFCON semifinal live stream, TV channel, how to watch online, start time, team news, odds

Cameroon and record winners Egypt face off in Yaounde on Thursday with the winner almost certain to go into Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final as favorites. The hosts have been perhaps the standout performers of the tournament so far, scoring two or more goals in all bar one of the matches that have taken them to the semifinals.

Egypt have certainly not been as easy on the eye but they have been effective on what has been a difficult journey through the knockout rounds, beating the Ivory Coast on penalties and then outlasting Morocco in extra time. Mohamed Salah and company may well be feeling those extra minutes in the semifinal or they might prove to be battle-hardened enough to overcome their hosts. 

Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:

Viewing information

Date: Thursday, Feb. 3 | Time: 2 p.m. ET
Location: Olembe Stadium — Yaounde, Cameroon
TV: beIN Sports | Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Odds: Cameroon +125; Draw +175; Egypt +290 (via Caesars Sportsbook)

Storylines

Cameroon: Though there is certainly more to Cameroon’s success than just their strikeforce, having two players in the form that Vincent Aboubakar and Karl Toko-Ekambi find themselves in certainly helps. “They are the finishers but their goals are the result of the work put in by everyone,” said head coach Toni Conceicao. 

The duo lead the AFCON scoring charts with six goals for Aboubakar and five for Toko-Ekambi. No one else at the tournament has more than three. Captain Aboubakar in particular has caught the eye and his form may yet be enough to earn the former Porto striker, now at Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia, a summer move back to Europe.

Egypt: Pharaohs head coach Carlos Quieroz heads into the semifinal far from impressed with the conduct of his opponents, chastising FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto’o for a video in which he referred to the math as “war” on more than one occasion. “It’s a very unfortunate comment, a very bad approach, a very bad message to the people of Cameroon,” said the Egypt boss. “To make this declaration of war before one game [shows he] didn’t learn anything when he was in professional football. Football is not about war. Football is about celebration, it’s about joy, it’s about happiness.”

Meanwhile, Egypt will be without former West Bromwich Albion defender Ahmed Hegazi, who limped out of the quarterfinal win over Morocco with an adductor strain.

Prediction

Egypt may have improved but Cameroon have excelled throughout this tournament. Add in a home crowd behind them and they must be strong favorites. PICK: Cameroon 2, Egypt 0