Nick Cavell
BBC Africa Sport in Cameroon

Those Egypt fans have arrived just as the teams are coming out onto the pitch. Lots of red lots of waving but no way they can compete with the noise being generated by the Cameroon fans.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

It has not been an entirely harmonious build up to this game.

Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz is unhappy with former Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o's comments that compared the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final between the two countries to a war.

A video published on the official Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) Facebook page shows a speech by Eto'o, , externalwho is now its president, where he uses the word 'war' more than once when referring to the game.

The former Barcelona striker, 40, was talking in the Cameroon dressing room shortly after the quarter-final win over The Gambia, but his choice of words has not gone down well with Queiroz.

"It's a very unfortunate comment, a very bad approach, a very bad message to the people of Cameroon," the 68-year-old said.

"To make this declaration of war before one game [shows he] didn't learn anything when he was in professional football.

"Football is not about war. Football is about celebration, it's about joy, it's about happiness."

Alluding to the fatal crush at the Olembe Stadium which killed eight people on Monday, 24 January, Quieroz added: "He forgot that people died at the stadium [a few] days ago."

Read more here.

Nick Cavell
BBC Africa Sport in Cameroon

Reports are that 900 Egypt fans are flying in to Cameroon on three planes to support the Pharaohs against the hosts Cameroon in the semi-final.

Among those arriving from Cairo for the game is Ashraf Sobhi, Egypt's Minister of Sport.

Image source, Getty Images

Tonight's last-four meeting is the latest instalment of heavyweight clashes between Cameroon and Egypt, the two most decorated teams in Nations Cup history.

The two sides have locked horns 10 times at the tournament and met in three Nations Cup finals, with the Pharaohs running out winners in 1986 and 2008.

Milla believes the Indomitable Lions will be favourites to go on and lift this year's Africa Cup of Nations - if they can get past the record seven-time continental champions.

"Egypt is a good footballing nation and they've proved that over the years," Milla, 69, said.

"Cameroon might not have the technique of the Egyptians, but Cameroon has the aggression to win and the power to beat any team.

"I think Cameroon will be motivated, but it's a difficult Afcon and it'll be difficult to get past Egypt. I think that if we can get past Egypt, Cameroon will be favourites."

Milla was part of Indomitable Lions squads which won the country's first two Nations Cup titles in 1984 and 1988, and was top scorer in 1986 when they were beaten on penalties in the final.

Cameroon are hosting the Nations Cup for the first time since 1972, when they finished third, and Milla hopes coach Toni Conceicao can lead the central African nation to a sixth triumph.

"I've watched a lot of Afcon, I am a supporter of the Indomitable Lions," Milla added.

"We are here to support them in the final because we have been waiting for this victory for 50 years in our country."

As an added treat, here is Milla in his 1990 pomp.

Nedum Onuoha
Former Man City defender on BBC Three

Mohamed Salah is be pumped up for sure, he said if he wins this it will be so close to his heart.

He understands the pressure on him and plays with so much passion.

With Egypt, if they are ticking the whole team is ticking.

This is his team, his nation and is desperate to make an impact.

Vincent Aboubakar came over all Shania Twain before this tie, saying this about Mohamed Salah...

"He doesn’t impress me much. I say it clearly because I’m an honest person and I have my way of seeing things.

"If he impressed me, I would say so. But he doesn’t impress me much. He’s a good player, he scores a lot but he doesn’t produce a lot of stuff in the game.

"Of course, he’s doing good stuff in the Premier League because he’s been in a team that’s been there for years. He’s a good player but not at the level of some like (Kylian) Mbappe."

I'm sure the Cameroon defence were delighted to hear he'd said this.

Yaya Toure
Former Man City midfielder on BBC Three

It will be tough for Egypt tonight, Vincent Aboubakar has been brilliant because he is spot on with the timing of his runs.

He is full of confidence, scoring games after game and there is solidarity in the team.

Egypt are tough though and it might be a tactical game.

For fans of a certain age, when you think of Cameroon football you immediately picture Roger Milla, dancing around defences and then corner flags at World Cups in the early 1990s.

He knows a thing or two about goals so when he praises a striker, you listen.

Milla believes current captain Vincent Aboubakar could become one of Africa's greatest ever players.

The 30-year-old has scored six times at this year's Africa Cup of Nations finals, which is the best tally by any player since 1998 - when Benni McCarthy (South Africa) and Hossam Hassan (Egypt) got seven apiece.

The all-time top goalscorer at a single Nations Cup is Mulamba Ndaye, who struck nine times for eventual champions Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo) in 1974.

"Aboubakar could be one of the greatest African footballers," Milla told BBC Sport Africa.

"Unfortunately, two years ago he suffered a very serious injury which sidelined him for four months.

"I'm very happy for him because he came into Afcon in good form. When he's playing, it's as if the whole country wants to make up for lost time and they want him to win.

"I hope he gets a goal against Egypt - and why not in the final?"

Want to watch tonight's game on the BBC?

Here is how...

Coverage on BBC Three starts just before 19:00 GMT.

Nick Cavell
BBC Africa Sport in Cameroon

The Cameroon police force sent out a video of several hundred members of various security services being briefed at the stadium ahead of the match.

Yaya Toure
Former Man City midfielder on BBC Three

This is the final before the final.

The stats show these two teams have been the most balanced and are well equipped.

I cannot wait for the match, we have seen pretty good things but now it is game on.

Cameroon v Egypt is the top match.

Lauren
Former Arsenal defender on BBC Threeca

It is a big moment for Cameroon as a nation and football association chairman Samuel E'too.

I hope everything goes normal, I spoke to some people in the country and they said security has been going around the stadium.

Let's hope we can enjoy beautiful football.

BBC Three

African football journalist Maher Mezahi: "We have seen many security measures in place for the match and there were check points in place around a kilometre out then shuttle buses taking fans to their gates.

"We have seen huge increase in medical and security personnel.

"It feels a little safer this time. However, some who were injured in the crush said they could never return to this stadium, though they will be watching on TV."

Nick Cavell
BBC Africa Sport in Cameroon

Very glad to report that it is all quiet outside the Olembe Stadium this evening the first match since the tragedy on 24 January here when 8 people lost their lives in a crush trying to watch Cameroon v Comoros.

It seems that people have decided to arrive late for this one - fans still coming in but all in orderly fashion with lots of gates open and no rushing.

Cheers in the stadium as they announce the Cameroon team and boos for the Egypt team (including an extra big one for Mo Salah).

Image source, BBC Sport

Tonight sees Afcon return to the Olembe Stadium in the Cameroonian capital Yaounde, 10 days after at least eight people have been killed and 38 injured in a crush.

Videos showed screaming fans being crushed at an entry gate and witnesses described chaotic scenes outside the ground as thousands of fans struggled to get access.

Two boys, aged eight and 14, are among the dead, and seven people were seriously injured.

Thankfully, the 38 people injured in the crush have all now left hospital and several of them were at Cameroon training yesterday.

As we know all too well in this country, there should never be a situation where people go to attend a football match and don't return home.

You can read more about the incident and its aftermath here.

• A football celebration overshadowed by tragedy

The competition's top scorer Vincent Aboubakar leads the line for Cameroon, hoping to add to his six goals so far. Fulham midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, who is on loan at Napoli, also start.

Cameroon XI: Onana, Fai, Ngadeu, Castelleto, Tolo, Gouet, Anguissa, Hongla, Ngamaleu, Aboubakar, Toko Ekambi.

Egypt will be relieved that goalkeeper Gabaski is fit to start, but defender Ahmed Hegazi missed out. Liverpool's star forward Mohamed Salah and Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny both start.

Mahmoud Hamdy - known as El Wensh (The Winch) - comes in along with Hamdi Fathi to replace the injured Hegazi and Ayman Ashraf, who is on the bench.

Egypt XI: Gabaski, Hamdy, Abdelmonem, Abdelwahed, Fetouh, Elneny, Fathy, El Soulia, Salah, Mohamed, Marmoush.

From one Liverpool forward to another.

After Sadio Mane's efforts last night, we turn to his club-mate Mohamed Salah tonight, upon whom the hopes of a nation in large part rest.

He hasn't fully lit up the event yet, but he does have two goals to his name to help his country to the business end of this competition. Standing in their way are the hosts, spearheaded by two men who have had no problems scoring goals this tournament - Vincent Aboubakar and Karl Toko Ekambi.

They have 11 between them, the former with a finals high of six.

With such attacking talent on show, we should hopefully be in for some fun.

Last night, tournament favourites booked their spot in Sunday's Afcon final with a 3-1 victory over Burkina Faso in a fiercely-contested semi at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Cameroon's capital Yaounde.

Abdou Diallo and Idrissa Gueye put Senegal in charge before Blati Toure narrowed the deficit late on.

But Sadio Mane chipped in to settle victory for the tournament favourites and take himself level with Henri Camara as his country's leading all-time goalscorer with 29.

You can watch the highlights of that game here...

Image source, Getty Images

Senegal are there.

But who will join them?

It's Cameroon v Egypt. Five-time v seven-time Afcon winners. Vincent Aboubakar v Mohamed Salah.

And it's only flaming live on the BBC.