YAOUND, Jan 31, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - Mohamed Salah starred as Egypt reached

the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals on Sunday and were joined in the last
four by Senegal, while the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde where eight people died
in a crush a week ago was given the green light to host the final.

  The Confederation of African Football gave the stadium the go ahead to host
the second semi-final on February 3 between the hosts and Egypt, and the
final on February 6 after lifting the temporary suspension of the venue where
eight died, including a child, on January 24.

  "Having noted the recommendations and undertakings from government in
regard to additional security provisions...the CAF Organising Committee
unanimously agreed to lift the suspension imposed on the Olembe Stadium,"
African football's governing body said in a statement.

  "The Local Organising Committee and the government of Cameroon having
significantly increased security and resources at the Olembe Stadium, (CAF)
are confident that the safety and security of spectators and visitors will be
assured."

  The disaster happened prior to last Monday's last-16 tie between hosts
Cameroon and the Comoros, when supporters were caught in a crush at the south
entrance gate of the stadium.

  Thirty eight people were also injured in the disaster. Witnesses told AFP
that a mass of people were crushed up against gates at the southern entrance
before police eventually opened them.

  Hundreds of supporters then broke through, causing a stampede.

  Cameroon's sports minister on Friday blamed a "reckless decision" by
security forces to open the closed gate for the tragedy and announced a raft
of measures aimed at ensuring that the Olembe Stadium could be reopened.

  Olembe, a 60,000-seat venue built for the tournament, was then stripped of
the quarter-final due to be played there, with the match instead moved to the
Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium also in Yaounde.

  That meant a double-header at the stadium on Sunday, with Egypt coming from
behind to defeat Morocco 2-1 in extra time before Senegal beat Equatorial
Guinea 3-1.

  - Goal and assist for Salah -

  Morocco took the lead through an early Sofiane Boufal penalty only for
Egypt captain Salah to equalise early in the second half, following up to
score after a Mohamed Abdelmonem header was saved.

  Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal then tipped a late Nayef Aguerd header
onto the crossbar as the game went to extra time, and the record seven-time
continental champions found the winner in the 100th minute.

  Salah made it with some excellent play on the right before his low delivery
to the back post was turned in by Mahmoud Trezeguet.

  "Our goal is to make the people in Egypt happy," said Salah while his
coach, Carlos Queiroz, dismissed suggestions the Pharaohs are a one-man team.

  "I agree that the best players need to show up but without the team that we
saw out there on the pitch today it is not possible to win games," he said.

  - Mane stars for Senegal -

  As he was leaving the stadium, Salah bumped into his Liverpool team-mate
Sadio Mane arriving for Senegal's match.

  Mane set up the opener for Famara Diedhiou in the last-eight encounter but
Equatorial Guinea fought back to equalise through Jannick Buyla early in the
second half.

  However, substitutes Cheikhou Kouyate and Ismaila Sarr then both found the
net to seal Senegal's place in the semis and a meeting with Burkina Faso on
Wednesday at the same Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in the Cameroonian capital.

  Burkina Faso defeated Tunisia 1-0 on Saturday to give some relief to a
country rocked by the ousting last week of President Roch Marc Christian
Kabore in a military coup.

  Hosts Cameroon beat Gambia 2-0 in their quarter-final in Douala in their
first outing since the Olembe disaster, and they will now return there to
face Egypt on Thursday in a meeting of the two teams with the most Cup of
Nations titles.