Thank you very much for joining me. Nick Ames will provide us with his review of the day very soon.
Full-time: Gambia 0-2 Cameroon
That is a fully deserved result. Cameroon were on top from start to finish pretty much and Gambia could not offer any answers in response to the questions asked. It is good news for the hosts as they reach the semi-finals.
Updated
90 mins: Three minutes added on.
89 mins: The referee and fourth officials are having a chat about something or other but then play resumes. No idea what’s going on there.
87 mins: Ngamaleu is heading off, with the help of Musa Barrow who wants him to hobble a bit quicker.
Cameroon should finish things off as Onana pings a pinpoint pass over the top for N’jie but his attempted lob is saved and then Aboubakar sends the follow-up wide.
85 mins: Gambia get a corner on the left but it is easily headed clear by Castelletto.
83 mins: Time for Gambia to throw the kitchen sink at this one.
81 mins: Cameroon are slowing things down to a snail’s pace. In the end the ball is hoofed out so a player can get treatment. Spurs legend Clinton N’jie and Pierre Kunde come on for Cameroon.
79 mins: Both teams have been lining up subs for the last five minutes but the ball has not gone out! These lads need their international caps.
77 mins: Hongla drives at the Gambia defence and decides to go have a go from distance but his effort is a weak one that the goalkeeper holds with ease.
75 mins: Ngamaleu takes down the ball on the left, cuts inside and tries a shot but it dribbles into the goalkeeper’s arms.
73 mins: Aboubakar tries to curl the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box but his effort drifts just wide.
71 mins: Colley sends a dangerous cross into the box for Gambia which is headed behind for a corner. At least it is a vague sign of content. The corner is headed clear.
69 mins: Onana catches a Modou Barrow cross and gets a warm round of applause from the crowd, as a nice reminder that he is involved. He is yet to make a save.
67 mins: There is so much dust coming off the pitch whenever the ball or a player moves. Why is there so much dust on the pitch?
Updated
65 mins: A rare Gambia attack earns a throw need deep in Cameroon territory but they quickly lose the ball and the hosts are on the front foot once more. I’m not sure Gambia know how to get back into this match.
63 mins: Rather than sitting off now the job is pretty much done, Cameroon want more to entertain the crowd.
61 mins: A pass is sent out to the left wing but it takes a horrific bobble and bounces out for a throw. Just a little reminder of how bad this pitch it. I can’t wait for it to host the final next week.
59 mins: Gambia made a triple substitution just before the second Cameroon goal, which might have left their defence confused and out of place. I am not sure they can get back into this.
GOAL! Gambia 0-2 Cameroon (Toko Ekambi, 57)
I think that might be Game, Set and Match as Toko Ekambi sneaks in at the back post to tap home a sublime low cross from the left.
Updated
54 mins: An attempted through ball hits the referee on the back which makes it a better pass as it allows Aboubakar through on goal but the official has to call it back due to his intervention.
Moments later Fai slips behind the defence to reach a pass but he is off balance as he pings a shot high and wide from six yards while on the run. I think we can blame the pitch for that one.
52 mins: Do Gambia have a response? They have barely left their half since the opening couple of minutes so will need to change things to get back into this match, I suspect.
GOAL! Gambia 0-1 Cameroon (Toko Ekambi, 50)
The stadium erupts as Toko Ekambi leaps like a salmon to connect with a fine Fai cross and send the ball into the top corner.
Updated
49 mins: Ngadeu goes into the book for a late challenge on Touray near the halfway line. He needs to be careful now.
47 mins: Onana collects a trickling cross, so at least he has now had something to do.
Second half
Here we go again!
The players are coming back out.
Peter Oh offers: “The Gambian players are up against it, but with Bobb and Marreh in the midfield I’m pretty sure that every little thing gonna be alright!”
For those who are not aware: that is a pun.
Half-time: Gambia 0-0 Cameroon
Cameroon are absolutely on top here but have only tested the goalkeeper once thanks to the competence of the Gambia defence.
45 mins: One minute added on.
44 mins: Ngamaleu sends in another cross which is very close to the goalkeeper but it goes just over his outstretched hand and away from danger.
42 mins: Fai lifts a cross into the box but it is headed up and out.
40 mins: There are no shortage of crosses going into the box for Aboubakar to attack but the latest lacks accuracy and drifts out for a goal-kick. Goalkeeper Gueye goes into the book for time-wasting, which is less than ideal after 40 minutes. I suspect the referee is reacting to the crowd.
38 mins: Gambia earn a foul and take an absolute age to take it, much to the referee’s chagrin who tells them to hurry up. There could be a lot of time-wasting if this stats goalless.
36 mins: It is all Cameroon now and they should be ahead after a beautiful cross from the right is met powerfully by Aboubakar who heads the ball straight at the chest of Gueye from six yards out.
Updated
34 mins: Ngamaleu gets down the right flank and is absolutely cleaned out Jagne near the byline, which is a rash decision from the Gambia defender, who is rightly booked. The subsequent free-kick makes its way to the back post and ends up with Castelletto who makes the obvious choice to perform an overhead kick, which is blocked by Gomez.
32 mins: Aboubakar drifts away from his marker Gomez, who is ball-watching, to head a diagonal ball into the box towards goal but the effort slips just wide.
30 mins: The crowd think it’s gone in! Fai receives a pass 25 yards from goal and lets fly with a thunderous strike, it ripples the outside of the net, much to the crowd’s delight, but it is certainly not a goal.
28 mins: Cameroon have enjoyed 68% in the game and I would not argue against those stats. It is no surprise considering the gulf in class between the two on paper.
Updated
26 mins: The game does seem to be opening up and the pace quickening, which is good news for this fixture as a spectacle as the opening stages were a little dull.
Tolo darts into the area from the left and gets enough space to fire off a shot but it is a weak one that the goalkeeper gobbles up.
24 mins: Aboubakar takes a couple of good touches, including a fine 180 degree turn to get away from a defender on the byline to allow him a free run into the box. He then pulls the ball back to Toko Ekambi whose shot is blocked.
22 mins: Sonko pulls back Aboubakar near the halfway line and goes into the book for his cynical troubles.
20 mins: The Cameroon buildup play is pretty slow which can be explained by the fact Gambia are currently operating with something akin to a back eight when the hosts are in possession.
18 mins: Janko goes down under a challenge and the referee does nothing. The Gambia man complains and the official awards a free-kick.
Updated
16 mins: Gambia are camped inside their own half, looking to turn Cameroon around with long balls but they just can’t get rid at the moment.
14 mins: Cameroon have now found their feet and are pushing Gambia back as they look to get on top. They are trying to shift the ball quickly but the pitch does not help with such a plan.
Aboubakar decides to do a ludicrous flick in an attempt to convert Ngamaleu’s dangerous cross but he miscues his effort and it loops wide, as the offside flag goes up.
12 mins: Toko Ekambi sends in a dangerous cross from the right for Aboubakar to attack but it is flicked behind for a corner.
10 mins: The pitch is pretty underwhelming, as are Cameroon who are operating at a pretty slow tempo. Surely this atmosphere could inspire something better than this current performance.
8 mins: Bevan Jones emails: “I note that the BBC have also saying the same but please - the country is called ‘The Gambia’ not Gambia. The official name is the Republic of the Gambia.”
It is a good point and the Guardian style guide states you are correct. I was following the rules of this Nick Ames article which does not add the The. I anticipate an email from the permanently alert to these matters Philip Cornwall to correct me.
6 mins: Cameroon move the ball quickly across the pitch but Fai fails to control the ball on the right touchline and it drifts out of play.
4 mins: Gambia are trying to put some early pressure on the Cameroon defence who have had their issues in the tournament thus far. The hosts have looked quite disorganised in defence, so they can be got at.
Updated
2 mins: The main thing to note in the opening couple of minutes is the volume in the stands. It should make it a great occasion.
Kick-off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
We will have a minute’s silence prior to kick-off in memory of the eight people who died in Yaoundé.
I’ve had a couple of glimpses of the pitch and it looks a little underwhelming but the white lines are very neatly painted, so there is that.
The players are out on the pitch for some hearty renditions of the national anthems in front of a backdrop of massive flags.
Updated
It is so loud inside the ground that Geremi cannot hear the questions he is being asked.
Updated
A bit of insight from Nick Ames who is inside the stadium.
Hugely beefed-up security/military presence around Japoma Stadium for Cameroon v Gambia. Army officers with rifles standing atop nearby buildings and on balconies. Red-capped gendarmerie everywhere you look. Barely-disguised effort to subdue fans on approach to ground. #AFCON2021
— Nick Ames (@NickAmes82) January 29, 2022
Updated
They’ve gone to Geremi pitchside. BBC Breakfast had Eric Djemba-Djemba on this morning. If they can find Roger Milla, then I will be a very happy man.
BBC have a nice chat with Salford City’s Ibou Touray, who is very Liverpudlian, and Ebou Adams.
Me and the BBC have the same Cameroon team, so it must be right.
Forest Green’s Ebou Adams is back on the bench for Gambia. He has attracted interest from Blackpool this month. Would be a fine achievement to reach an Afcon semi-final at Afcon.
The lovely Nick Ames has written this on Gambia.
Starting lineups
Gambia: Gaye, Bobb, Gomez, O Colley, Janko, Jagne, Badamosi, Marreh, Touray, Sonko, Barrow
Cameroon: Onana, Castelletto, Ngadeu, Tolo, Fai, Hongla, Zambo Anguissa, Oum Gouet, Ngamaleu, Toko Ekambi, Aboubakar
(There are a couple of different versions of the Cameroon team out there but this is the one of the official CAF website).
Here is Jonathan Wilson and Nick Ames on the tragedy in Cameroon.
Good afternoon
Naturally, the events at the Olembe Stadium which saw eight people die have overshadowed Cameroon’s hopes of winning the Africa Cup of Nations, but they are back on the pitch looking for a last-four place at the expense of Gambia.
Cameroon have not looked particularly dominant on their way to this stage of the tournament but now they are here they will feel confident of going all the way with the backing of their fans. Even against a 10-man Comoros side with a left-back in net they could only muster a 2-1 victory, so will be desperate to do better this time around.
Gambia are ranked 150th in the world, the lowest of any side in the tournament, and are playing in their first Afcon but they are providing plenty of entertainment on their run to this stage, winning three matches 1-0. They have conceded just once in their four match thus far, too, proving how difficult they are to beat.
There will be plenty of intrigue when it comes to the pitch, which is poor and the reason behind the fact the stadium has had two matches taken away in the hope it will be in a fit state to host the final next Sunday.
Let’s hope for a fine match.
Kick-off: 4pm GMT.
