Hosts Gabon were eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, January 22 after drawing goalless with Cameroon at the Stade de l’Amitie.
The draw was the third for the Black Panthers in the tournament, having recorded 1-1 draws in the opening group games against Guinea-Bissau and Burkina Faso.
The Indomitable Lions needed at least a draw from the game to progress, and that is what they got.
Not even a last-gasp danger from the Gabonese will cow the Lions into conceding, with goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa coming up with a spectacular rescuing effort.
Surprisingly, Burkina Faso topped Group A with five points.
Though drawing their first two games, the Stallions clinched a 2-0 win over debutants Guinea-Bissau at Stade de Franceville to top the group.
Burkina Faso and Cameroon, as a result of Sunday’s outcome, join Senegal and Ghana as the four quarter-finalists so far.
Unfortunately, Gabon become the fourth hosts in the history of the tournament not to make it out of the group stage.
Ethiopia (1976), Cote d’Ivoire (1984) and Tunisia (1994) have previously failed to progress from their groups while hosts.
On Monday, January 23, the other nation to join Senegal as Group B qualifiers will be determined.
Tunisia, Zimbabwe and Algeria are in contention as to who joins the Teranga Lions, who will face the Indomitable Lions in the quarter-final.
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana
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