Ahead of Cameroon's 2-1 victory over 10-man Comoros on Monday night, tragedy struck outside the Olembe Stadium as eight people were killed in a stampede. A survivor has now shared her experience of the ordeal.
Nervousness and tension engulfed the atmosphere as there was a delay in letting spectators into the arena.
Things eventually boiled over as fans were trampled in a crush that reportedly killed eight people, with a further 38 suffering injuries, according to a statement released by Cameroon's ministry of communication.
Theresa, a supporter who attended the game and was among the chaos that arose, gave a first-hand account of her experience to Al Jazeera.
"We had already gone through the health and were waiting at the fourth gate," she told the news publication.
"The fourth gate was locked, and people were agitated because we had been standing there for a while and it was getting close to kick-off.
"So, when the security guys started opening the gate, people pushed them away and opened it wide. It was in that commotion that everything happened because everybody wanted to enter at the same time, fearing they [security officials] might lock the gates again.
"At some point, I could not feel my right leg because I was on the floor. People were pulling my hair, my neck.
"When I woke up, I saw people on the ground, some motionless, but I could not confirm if they were dead."
The catastrophe has led to both the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Cameroonian government launching investigations into the disaster.
