Outside, Cameroon’s supporters were left under no illusions about what was expected of them. Inside, those who fulfilled the conditions for smooth passage could raise the roof. This Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final, won with two goals from Karl Toko Ekambi, was always going to be loaded with added meaning but the host nation progressed on two fronts.
There was no repeat of Monday’s tragedy at the Stade Olembé in Yaoundé which has scarred this tournament irreversibly and nor was there any real sense one might occur; there was also a distinct impression Cameroon are equipped to go all the way, brushing aside a spirited representation from the Gambia who have formed some of the past fortnight’s fonder memories and would be welcomed to this level again.
