Africa: Will History Help #AFCON2017 Semifinalists?

CAN 2017: Burkina Faso football fans.
30 January 2017

The semifinal line-up at the 2017 African Nations Cup finals is complete as Burkina Faso take on Egypt on Wednesday and Ghana tackle Cameroon a day later in what is sure to be two epic ties.
ALLAFRICA looks at the semifinal records of the four remaining sides in Africa's showpiece competition.

BURKINA FASO

Semifinals played: 2 (1998, 2013)

Semifinals won: 1 (2013)
The Burkinabe will be appearing in just a third Nations Cup semifinal but a second in four years.

They reached this stage of the competition for the first time when they hosted the tournament in 1998, but lost 2-0 to eventual winners Egypt – the same side they will compete against in Gabon this year.

Burkina Faso were surprise semifinalists in South Africa in 2013 and edged Ghana 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. They lost 1-0 in the final to Nigeria.

CAMEROON

Semifinals played: 8 (1972, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2008)

Semifinals won: 6 (1984, 1986, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2008)

The Indomitable Lions have a 75 percent win ratio in semifinals and have gone on to win four of the six finals they have played in.

Their last semifinal was in 2008 when they edged Ghana 1-0, providing the Black Stars with the opportunity for revenge.

They have in fact only lost one semifinal outright, going down 1-0 to Congo-Brazzaville in 1970, but were also defeated on penalties by Cote d'Ivoire in 1992 following a 0-0 draw.

Aside from Ghana nine years ago, their victories have come against Mali, Tunisia, Morocco, Cote d'Ivoire and Algeria.

EGYPT

Semifinals played: 13 (1957, 1962, 1963, 1970, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)

Semifinals won: 7 (1957, 1962, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)

Egypt went through a stage where they could not win a Nations Cup semifinal for love nor money but on the past five occasions, they have reached this stage of the competition they have gone on to be crowned champions, a run dating back to 1986.

But their six semifinal appearances before that between 1963 and 1984 all ended in defeat as the country came frustratingly close to the title, only to fall short.

Their semifinal victories have come against Sudan (1957), Uganda (1962), Morocco (1986), Burkina Faso (1998), Senegal (2006),  Cote d'Ivoire (2008) and Algeria (2010).

Those last two wins were by 4-1 and 4-0 scorelines respectively.

GHANA

Semifinals played: 13 (1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1978, 1982, 1992, 1996, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015)

Semifinals won: 9 (1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1978, 1982, 1992, 2010, 2015)

No side has won more Nations Cup semifinals than Ghana, whose nine triumphs have led to just four final victories, and none since 1982.

The Black Stars won the first seven semifinals they played, first tasting defeat against South Africa in 1996, and they have won only two of their previous six last four matches.

Their last five semifinals, all since 2008, have seen wins over Nigeria (2010) and Equatorial Guinea (3-0), but also surprise defeats to Cameroon (2008) on home soil, Zambia (2012) and Burkina Faso (2013).

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