The hosts are clear favourites to win their last-four clash on Thursday night but won’t have things all their own way against Egypt, writes James Eastham…
“In Egypt’s Last 16 tie against Morocco, both sides employed spoiling tactics. If Egypt do the same here, Cameroon will face the type of challenge they’ve yet to come up against at the finals.”
Cameroon vs Egypt
Thu, 19:00 GMT
Live on BBC Three and Sky Sports
Host nation clear favourites
Cameroon are clear favourites to win on Thursday night but their chances of beating Egypt in 90 minutes appear overrated.
The Indomitable Lions have roared through the tournament in fearsome fashion but Egypt will be the toughest side they have come up against.
Cameroon are 2.265/4 to win in 90 minutes, with Egypt 4.3100/30 and The Draw 2.982/1. At those odds, Cameroon have little appeal.
Cameroon boast the tournament’s top two scorers in Vincent Aboubakar (six goals) and Karl Toko Ekambi (five goals). As a side, they have attacked impressively since the competition began.
Egypt are underrated
Yet Egypt have improved as the tournament has gone on, getting past dark horses Morocco in the last round.
In that Last 16 tie, both sides employed spoiling tactics, and if Egypt do the same here, Cameroon will face the type of challenge they’ve yet to come up against at the finals.
Cameroon beat Gambia 2-0 in the quarter-finals but it should not be forgotten they laboured to a 2-1 win over a Comoros side that had an outfield player in goal and played much of the game with 10 men in the Last 16.
Egypt are a wily side and in Mohamed Salah have a striker that will stiffly test a Cameroon defence that has kept just one clean sheet in five matches.
Opposing the favourites has paid off
It’s also worth noting that underdogs have had the better of things during the knockout phase. Across the 12 Last 16 and quarter-final encounters, the favourites won only five times in 90 minutes.
For all these reasons, our selection is to lay Cameroon to win in 90 minutes. By laying Cameroon, you’ll make a profit if the game ends all-square in 90 minutes, or Egypt win in 90 minutes.
An alternative way to support Egypt would be to back them on the Asian Handicap. By doing so with a 0 & +0.5 start at 2.111/10, similarly you’ll make a profit if Egypt win or the game ends in a draw. For a full guide to Asian Handicap betting, click here.
Before the tournament kicked-off we backed Cameroon to win it at odds of 10.009/1. Now we’re down to the last four stage Cameroon’s odds have come in to 2.8815/8.
Those that followed our tip on Cameroon may like to let it run in the hope they make it to the final. Alternatively, you can lay off at this stage in order to secure some profit. For more details on how to use Betfair to back and lay, click here.
PREM WATCH
Mohamed Salah has lived up to his billing as Egypt’s star player with some key contributions so far. In the quarter-final against Morocco, for example, he scored one and set one up for team-mate Trezeguet as Egypt triumphed 2-1.
Ahead of this game Salah is available to find the net in the Anytime Goalscorer market at 3.39/4. Those are tempting odds given Salah has scored 47 goals in 80 international appearances.
After scoring the winner versus Morocco, Aston Villa’s Trezeguet will also attract attention. He can be backed at 7.06/1.
Source: BetFair Tips
