Cameroon beat Senegal 5-4 on penalties to advance to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations semifinals following a goalless draw on Saturday night.

The highly anticipated quarterfinal encounter was played at the Stade de Franceville in the Gabonese city of Franceville on Saturday night.

Senegal's Lions of Teranga dominated possession in the opening stages of the game - forcing the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to sit too deep.

Cheikhou Kouyate, the Senegal captain and central midfielder, was unlucky as he saw his header narrowly missing the target in the 20th minute.

It should have been 1-0 to Senegal seven minutes later when their talisman Sadio Mane cleverly set-up his teammate Mame Biram Diouf.

However, Diouf tried to lift the ball over onrushing Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa and he missed the target as the ball dropped over the crossbar.

Cameroon then began coming back into the game and in the 35th minute Benjamin Moukandjo forced Senegal keeper Abdoulaye Diallo into a decent save.

Nevertheless, the Indomitable Lions were able to contain by the Lions of Teranga and the score was 0-0 during the halftime break.

Senegal began the second-half lively and Mane got free down the right and played a cross for Diouf, who headed straight at Ondoa in the Cameroon goalposts.

With his side struggling to convert their chances, Aliou Cisse decided to pull out Diouf in the 65th minute and he introduced another striker Moussa Sow.

However, Cameroon keeper Ondoa, who produced late saves to ensure that it ended goalless in regulation time and the two teams went into extra-time.

Jacques Zoua had a golden chance to fire Cameroon into the lead in the 105th minute, but somehow he was brilliantly denied by Diallo from close range.

The two teams failed to break the deadlock in regulation time and extra-time, and a penalty shootout followed as the match ended goalless.

England-based Mane, who was the hero for Senegal throughout the tournament became the villain as his spot-kick was saved by Ondoa and Cameroon won 5-4 on penalties.

Senegal 0

Cameroon 0

Senegal: Diallo, Mbodji, Koulibaly, Mbengue (Ciss 85'), Gassama, Gueye, Kouyate (Ndiaye 110'), Saivet, Diouf (Sow 65'), Mane, Balde.

Cameroon: Ondoa, Fai, Teikeu, Ngadeu, Oyongo, Siani, Djoum (Mandjeck 102'), Moukandjo, Toko Ekambi ((Zoua 47'), Tambe (Aboubakar 102'), Bassogog.