Bafoussam: Musa Barrow scored a 71st-minute winner as Gambia continued their giant killing spree at the Africa Cup of Nations by pulling off an upset 1-0 win over Guinea in Bafoussam yesterday to advance to the quarter-finals.
Striker Barrow, one of the outstanding performers at the tournament, was set up by a defence-splitting pass from Yusupha Bobb but still had to take the ball away from the Guinea defence with his right foot and then put it onto his left for a fine finish to settle the last-16 tie.
The small west Africa country are the lowliest ranked of all the 24 participants at the tournament in Cameroon at 150 in the world and are making their debut at the finals.
They will play hosts Cameroon who made heavy work of beating 10-man Comoros Islands 2-1 to advance to the last eight at the expense of a team who had everything stacked against them in the last 16.
Karl Toko Ekambi and Vincent Aboubakar scored the home team’s goals at the Olembe Stadium to eliminate the debutants, who were forced to use a full back in goal and had their captain sent off after six minutes.
But Comoros still put up a gallant fight and, despite the considerable disadvantage, pulled a goal back from Youssouf M’Changama with nine minutes remaining to depart the tournament with their reputations considerably enhanced.
Gambia hung on near the end as both teams finished with 10 men, surviving an offside goal, two strikes against the woodwork and a handball call to hold on for a famous victory.
They also overcame a bout of food poisoning in their camp which meant two players had to pull out of the starting line-up an hour before kick off.
Guinea struggled without inspirational captain Naby Keita, suspended for the match after an accumulation of cards in the group stage but did have the best of the first half chances with Mohamed Bayo denied by Omar Colley’s timely tackle.
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