The Egyptian side began their last four match as the clear favourites to advance to the final, having advanced as Group A winners after recording victories over Tunisia and hosts Congo.

Despite battling hard Cameroon, the Group B runners-up, were unable to take the opening set and claim a key foothold in the match, as their team looked to take another step closer to their maiden men’s Olympic tournament.

Having lost a closely fought set 25-22, the Cameroonians desperately needed to claim the second to pull themselves back into the match but instead fell 2-0 down, as Egypt maintained the momentum by winning 25–17.

Egypt, who won the continental title in front their home fans in Cairo last year, extinguished any faint prospect of a fightback by claiming the third set 25-19 to advance to tomorrow’s final.

To participate in the Olympic tournament for the fifth time in their history, Egypt will have to overcome Tunisia for the second time after they defeated All Africa Games champions Algeria in a thrilling second semi-final.

The Group A runners-up lost the opening set 26-24 to Algeria, who had notched three straight wins on route to topping Group B, but hit back by winning the second 25-22.

Tunisia’s hopes of reaching the final looked in grave danger after they convincingly lost the third 25-15 but there proved to be nothing in the contest in a dramatic fourth set.

They eventually prevailed 28-16 to take the match into a decider, which they eventually won 15-13 to book their place in tomorrow’s final.

Tunisia, who finished 11th at London 2012, will start the final as the underdogs having lost 3-0 to Egypt in the group phase.

Meanwhile, Algeria will take on Cameroon in the third place playoff, with the winners advancing to the World Olympic Qualification Tournament.

The tournament, which will offer teams a final chance to reach Rio 2016,  is due to take place in Tokyo, during May.