Egypt's dreams of an eighth Africa Cup of Nations crown are alive and kicking at the semi-final stage of the competition, although an impressive Burkina Faso side stand between them and a final spot.Egypt, who will appear in the last four of the competition for the first time since 2010, secured a memorable 1-0 win over Morocco in the quarter-finals and will be the favourites for this one after some strong performances in Gabon. However, Burkina Faso showed their class in the last eight, beating Tunisia 2-0.In a tournament of fascinating contests and dramatic moments, expect another absorbing match at the Stade de l'Amitie. Here are the key viewing details for the tie and a look at how the first of the two semi-finals is set to pan out.Date: Wednesday, February 1Time: 7 p.m. (GMT), 2 p.m. (ET)TV Info: Eurosport 2 (UK)Live Stream: Eurosport Player (UK)PreviewHere's a look at the knockout bracket in full for this year's competition, including the semi-finalists' route to the last four, per Bleacher Report UK:Although Egypt have enjoyed great success in the Africa Cup of Nationsmore than any other country, with seven winsagainst Morocco, they have always found a way to come unstuck in recent years.Indeed, ahead of the match with their north African rivals it was well-documented that Egypt had not secured a win in this fixture for 31 years. And for much of the match, the Pharaohs played like a team with that hoodoo hanging over them, as Morocco pinned them back for long spells.However, when their big chance did materialise, Egypt took it. Mahmoud Kahraba, off the bench, was the man who seized the opportunity three minutes from time, sparking wild celebrations among his team-mates.Per Piers Edwards of BBC World TV, the key to Egypt's strong recent form has been a rock-solid defence; they have yet to concede a goal in the competition, with 44-year-old goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary in outstanding form:Needless to say, Burkina Faso will need to be at their best in the final third if they're to prise open this determined defensive setup.There have been signs that Paulo Duarte's team are capable of doing so, though. Their quarter-final opponents, Tunisia, always pose a tricky test, but the Stallions produced a composed and professional display to make it to the last four.Admittedly, Burkina Faso did leave it late to break the deadlock, as Aristide Bance smashed home a free-kick in the 81st minute; he had only entered the field as a substitute five minutes earlier. African sport journalist Gary Al-Smith paid tribute to the impact the 32-year-old had on what was otherwise a tepid contest:Any late nerves for Burkina Faso were settled by Prejuce Nakoulma in the 84th minute, as he kept his cool on the counter-attack. Duarte has encouraged his players to maintain that composure in this upcoming, enormous encounter."To us, each game is a final, and I want to actually praise my players for the great work they did against a team so many people favoured would beat us," he said, per SuperSport. "It wasn't an easy game, but the substitutions we made actually changed everything and that's how a team must play."Per the SandalsForGoalposts Twitter account, there seems to be a tremendous spirit in the Burkina Faso camp, too:Expect another tight game between two of the most impressive defensive sides at AFCON 2017 and for nerves to make for a tetchy opening to the semi-final. As was the case in their quarter-final matches, the managers' use of substitutions could prove to be vital again.Of the two sides, it's Egypt who have the greater depth. Manager Hector Cuper has already confirmed Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny will not be fit enough to feature, which is a huge blow for the seven-time African champions, but they have enough quality to sneak through in what will be an even tie.Prediction: Egypt 1-0 Burkina Faso
Click here to read full news..
