By Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line
…Five Times Champs Cameroon Struggled to Win Gabon by a Lone goal all in Group F
Three times AFCON Champions and current defending champions, the Elephants of Ivory Coast on the Eve of Christmas in Marrakesh Morocco stamped on the Mambas of Mozambique in a group F opening match.
Young 27 years old mid fielder for Manchester United of Britain, Ahmad Diallo got an assist from Franck Kessie and quickly dispatched it into the net for the only goal of the match.
It was a night the Ivoirians thought the god of football had left them missing many good chances after having 15-3 shots at goal with 5-2 on target; good 9-3 corner kick advantages not converted meaning they need to do more on the training ground to go far in this tournament even as the West Africans made 56-44% ball possession showing the Mambas contested for the ball.
Five times African Champions next in line to Egypt that won the title seven times, The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Christmas Eve in Agadir Cameroon was stretched to maximum performance before piping lowly ranked Panthers of Gabon by a lone goal.
Cameroon ranked 57 in the world and champions in1984; 1988; 2000; 2002 and 2017 on paper looked far more superior to Gabon ranked 78 in the world and only appearing 9 times at the mundial with two quarterfinal stoppages in 1996 and 2012 as best performances but the truth remains that Cameroon has never beaten Gabon in two last meetings at AFCON.
It took 120 seconds for Egyptian Ref and the VAR team to authenticate the only goal of the match from a floater into the Gabonese vital area which Mbeumo collected and swiftly gave to Etta Eyong who tucked it into the net but the lines man on the mere side raised his flag for offside. The goal scored in 6th minute of play was approved in the 8th minute causing wild jubilation in the stands.
Curiuosly the game changed in the second half when former Arsenal Captain, Pierre Aubameyang was introduced into the match forcing stats to rise in favour of Gabon.
There were 10-14 shots at goal in favor of Gabon with 3-3 on target; Gabon held more to the ball in 54-46% ball possessions and the Lions could not roar even with a 9-5 corner kicks advantage forcing 14-10 foul calls on Cameroon with 2-1 yellow cards to the Lions.
Cameroon appeared of CAF table as topers with 3 points from their lone goal scored same for Ivory Coast that is 2nd; Gabon is 3rd and Mozambique is 4th.
There will be no match tomorrow which is Christmas Day, but the second round matches resume on Boxing Day 26th December with group B when Angola takes on Zimbabwe at 1:30pm and the tough one between Egypt and South Africa at 4pm.
Gabon will meet Mozambique at 1:30pm on Sunday 28th while Ivory Coast will clash with Cameroon in an epic match same Sunday at 9pm.
Group A second round matches will also be played on Boxing Day when Zambia
files out against Comoros at 6:30pm and hosts Morocco tackles Mali at 9pm.
#AFCON25 #CAF #FRMC #F#FEBEFOOT
#FSF #BFA #MFM #FAZ #AFA #NFF.
