Stadium stampede kills eight in Africa Cup of Nations soccer match

Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Round of 16 - Cameroon v Comoros - Stade d'Olembe, Yaounde, Cameroon - January 24, 2022 General view of Cameroon fans inside the stadium REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El GhanyYAOUNDE, Jan 25 (Reuters) - At least eight people died and 38 were injured when fans stormed a soccer stadium hosting an Africa Cup of Nations match in Cameroon's capital on Monday, the government said.Images shared on social media, which Reuters could not immediately authenticate, showed a panicked crowd trying to squeeze through a narrow entrance gate at the newly built Olembe stadium in Yaounde that was hosting a round of 16 game between Cameroon and Comoros.One video showed dozens of fans scrambling over the stadium fence as a police officer walked by.The stampede comes as a heavy blow for the tournament, which had grown in excitement on the pitch in recent days thanks to some match upsets but which was under scrutiny for a lack of readiness beforehand.COVID-19 and insecurity caused by a separatist insurgency also complicated preparations.