AFCON2023: Cameroon dig deep to set up Nigeria clash

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon won a dramatic Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tie against The Gambia on Tuesday to set up a Round of 16 clash with bitter rivals Nigeria, www.aclsports.com reports.

In a game that swung back and forth in the final twenty minutes, the Indomitable Lions had the last laugh after defender Christopher Wooh powered home a towering header off Georges-Kevin N’Koudou’s corner kick to seal a come-from-behind 3-2 win for Rigobert Song’s men.

In fact, Cameroon had thought they would embrace a best loser’s spot after Karl Toko Ekambi gave them the lead in the 56th minute. As at then, Senegal and Guinea were goalless in the group’s other game in Yamoussoukro which would have seen both sides through as first and second respectively.

In a dramatic twist of fortunes, the Senegalese scored two goals including a late strike by Iliman Ndiaye and it was right about the time Cameroon got their winner in Bouake, finishing second for a spot to face their neighbours Nigeria.

Cameroon who took the lead in the second half suffered a meltdown and conceded twice to Ablie Jallow and Ebrima Colley’s strikes. They were however fortunate to level two minutes after Colley’s goal when James Gomez diverted to his own net.

After Wooh’s goal, there was still a final twist to the game when the partisan crowd – who were rooting for a Gambian result in order to boost Côte d’Ivoire’s chances of progressing as a best loser – thought Muhammed Sanneh had equalised in stoppage time but the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) came to justice.

With the result, five times champions Cameroon will now travel to the capital city to face three times champions Nigeria at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, venue of both teams’ first ever meeting at the AFCON in 1982. Saturday’s game will kick-off at 8pm local time, 9pm in Nigeria.