Liverpool star Sadio Mane ended a 243-minute Senegal goal drought by scoring in a 2-0 win over nine-man Cape Verde in a fiery Africa Cup of Nations last-16 clash in Bafoussam on Tuesday.

The goal came on 63 minutes after the islanders had goalkeeper Josimar ‘Vozinha’ Dias and midfielder Patrick Andrade sent off.

Mane was forced to leave the field soon after breaking the deadlock as his face was swollen following a collision with Vozinha, which led to the second red card.

Bamba Dieng, who replaced Mane, added a second goal two minutes into added time after a breakaway left a single Cape Verde defender facing two Senegalese attackers.

Senegal, seeking to win the flagship African competition for the first time after twice finishing runners-up, will meet Mali or Equatorial Guinea on Sunday in the quarter-finals.

Before the kick-off, the teams and match officials stood still and silent in memory of the eight people who died in a crush at Olembe Stadium in Yaounde on Monday before Cameroon defeated the Comoros.

Cape Verde welcomed back head coach Pedro ‘Bubista’ Brito, who had to watch the group stage in the island nation as he recovered from coronavirus.

In the opposite dugout was Aliou Cisse, a Cup of Nations runner-up as a player in 2002 and as a coach in 2019.

Having failed to score in their last two group matches against Guinea and Malawi, Senegal almost took the lead 40 seconds into the match through Mane.

Major blow

Following a move down the left flank, the ball ran loose in the box and the reigning African Footballer of the Year unleashed a thunderbolt that cannoned off the far post.

Senegal seemed determined to end their goal drought early in the match and continually put pressure on the Cape Verde defence at Stade Kouekong in the western Cameroon highlands.

Cape Verde suffered a major blow on 21 minutes when Andrade was sent off for stamping on the leg of Pape Gueye.

The Algerian referee initially produced a yellow card, then upgraded it to a red after watching replays of the incident on the touchline VAR monitor.

Despite being numerically disadvantaged, Cape Verde contained Senegalese attacks until Mane came close to breaking the deadlock six minutes before half-time.

A slick exchange of passes inside the box set Mane free, but Vozinha and Steven Fortes combined to block his attempt to score.

As if facing one of the tournament title favourites with 10 men was not sufficiently difficult, Cape Verde were reduced to nine men when Vozinha was sent off 12 minutes into the second half.

The goalkeeper and Mane collided as they chased a long pass and after going to the monitor again, the referee brandished his red card to the goalkeeper, who had left the field suffering from concussion.

Marcio da Rosa, who plays in the Portuguese third division, took over as goalkeeper with forward Garry Rodrigues taken off.

Senegal were quick to take advantage of having two extra outfield players as Mane scored with a superbly placed shot into the roof of the net when a corner was only partially cleared by Nuno Borges.

Source: AFP

Strict Covid-19 protocols and exorbitant ticket prices have resulted in many Cameroonians watching the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in fan parks or at home, rather than inside the stadiums where matches are being held.

After a 50-year wait to host the Afcon again, the expectation was that residents of the football-obsessed country would fill stadiums and display their passion for the continent and the world to see. That hasn’t happened, partly because Cameroon’s vaccination policy is a deterrent for many fans. Only vaccinated spectators are allowed inside the stadiums and they have to produce a negative polymerase chain reaction test to get access.

“I have two main reasons for watching matches from fan zones,” said football supporter Jean Claude Armel. “The first is because I was discouraged by the medical pass … There is also the time factor.” Armel had intended to watch games in the stadium from the round of 16, which started on 23 January, “but as long as the medical protocol is maintained I won’t go anyway”.

Armel’s sentiment is shared by many, including Njiya Jores, a company owner who lives in Etoudi, a neighbourhood in Yaoundé that is barely a stone’s throw from the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium.

“You don’t oblige people to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and still expect to see the stadiums filled. Personally, I have no intentions to get myself vaccinated now. So, since I can’t watch from the stadium, I prefer to watch at home or in fan zones. The ambiance is the same.”

The Covid-19 protocol has had some positive impact on getting people vaccinated, however. Prior to the start of the tournament on 9 January, hundreds of fans queued for long hours to get the jab. Statistics of how many Cameroonians are vaccinated are hard to find, and attempts to get them from the department of health were unsuccessful. Reports claim that less than 3% of the country’s estimated just over 26 million population is vaccinated. 

Out of reach

The vaccination requirement has not been the only hindrance to filling the stadiums. Supporters have complained about the price of tickets and the complexity of buying them online, which is the Confederation of African Football’s preferred method and something many fans aren’t used to doing.

Tickets range from 3 000 Central African francs (about R79) to CFA20 000. For domestic football, tickets normally cost between CFA500 and CFA1 000. The high prices of Afcon tickets have excluded many football fans who don’t have the financial means to buy tickets to the stadiums. There are also those who are taking advantage by buying tickets and selling them at an even higher price on the black market.

“It is difficult to obtain a ticket, especially when Cameroon is playing,” said a Cameroonian who declined to be named. “When I think of all the stress I have to go through, I rather prefer to watch from home. If you buy a ticket for double the initial price, how do you feed and provide for your family?”

In Limbe, in western Cameroon, the location of the stadium outside the town is a problem for many fans. Erwin Ayota, a journalist from the area, said the “turnout has been timid for obvious reasons”.

“The stadium is located at Ngueme, an area where access is not easy,” he said. “Getting to the field for the population of Limbe is difficult. People have to trek for long distances because of the absence of bikes and taxis. People feel discouraged to go to the stadium.”

He adds that the Covid-19 protocols “created an atmosphere of unwillingness to go to the stadium. Now the government has tried to counteract this by making buses available to ease transportation, and things are slowly improving.”

Boosting the numbers

To boost attendance, President Paul Biya issued instructions to reduce work and school hours in Cameroon. Classes are now held from 7.30am to 1pm and work hours are from 7.30am to 2pm. This exceptional measure, which is more effective in the public sector, came into effect on 17 January.

Some government officials and prominent personalities have also made a huge number of tickets available to fans to enable them to watch matches. Other institutions have made attending the tournament mandatory, supplying their staff with tickets.

These measures have boosted attendance somewhat. “More and more people are [now] coming to watch games in the stadiums. In the coming games, notably in the round of 16, there will be more people in the stadiums,” said Ekombe Pascaline, director of the Limbe Omnisport Stadium.

“I feel elated that the stands are full,” he continued, exaggerating to make his point as the opposite is true. “You organise a tournament of this magnitude and the stands are empty, it doesn’t speak well. So we are happy that the population of Limbe and other regions are coming to watch matches of the Afcon.

“We had very heavy participation, especially during match day two. Even on the first day of play, our attendance compared with other sites was not bad. We want to encourage many more people to come and watch matches in Limbe.”

Culled from New Frame

Hosts Cameroon are through to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations but only after labouring to a 2-1 win over a Comoros side who were forced to start an outfield player in goal and played most of the game with 10 men.

The Comoros started with left-back Chaker Alhadhur between the posts in Yaounde after two of their three goalkeepers were ruled out due to Covid-19 while the other was missing due to injury.

They then had captain Nadjim Abdou sent off after just seven minutes, and Karl Toko-Ekambi put Cameroon in front before skipper Vincent Aboubakar netted his sixth goal of the tournament.

Despite that it was a heroic performance from the Comoros, who kept the tie alive until the end thanks to Youssouf M’Changama’s stunning late free-kick.

The Indomitable Lions keep their dream of winning the Cup of Nations on home soil alive as they advance to a last-eight tie against Gambia on Saturday, yet this was the Comoros’ night, despite the outcome.

The tiny Indian Ocean island nation qualified for the last 16 in their first ever appearance at the Cup of Nations after finishing as one of the best third-placed teams in the group stage.

However, their dream turned to a nightmare as a total of 12 players and staff tested positive for Covid-19 two days before the tie, including goalkeepers Ali Ahamada and Moyadh Ousseini.

Their other goalkeeper, Salim Ben Boina, was injured but they had hoped Ahamada would be able to start after he tested negative on the day of the game.

The 30-year-old Ahamada flew from Garoua, where he had been isolating, to Yaounde on Monday afternoon in the hope of being able to play, only for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to decide otherwise as his positive result had come just two days earlier.

Alhadhur, a reserve left-back for French Ligue 2 side Ajaccio, wore the gloves, with tape used to mark out his number three on the back of his goalkeeper’s jersey.

It was a farcical scene, and the Comoros’ plight worsened when Abdou was shown a straight red card for a foul on Moumi Ngamaleu after the Ethiopian referee went to review images of his challenge.

Rather than give up, the Comoros kept going and they only fell behind in the 29th minute when Aboubakar teed up Toko-Ekambi to slot home.

The islanders, whose coach Amir Abdou was among those missing after testing positive, almost equalised shortly after as Ahmed Mogni forced Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana into a fine save.

Aboubakar had a second-half effort disallowed for offside before making it 2-0 with 20 minutes left, finishing excellently after being picked out by Martin Hongla.

Yet there was no collapse from the Comoros, who pulled one back courtesy of M’Changama’s piledriver from 35 metres and go out with their heads held high.

Source: AFP

Musa Barrow scored a 71st-minute winner as Gambia continued their giant killing spree at the Africa Cup of Nations by pulling off an upset 1-0 win over Guinea in Bafoussam on Monday to advance to the quarter-finals.

Striker Barrow, one of the outstanding performers at the tournament, was set up by a defence-splitting pass from Yusupha Bobb but still had to take the ball away from the Guinea defence with his right foot and then put it onto his left for a fine finish to settle the last-16 tie.

The small west Africa country are the lowliest ranked of all the 24 participants at the tournament in Cameroon at 150 in the world and are making their debut at the finals.

They will play the winner of Monday’s later match between hosts Cameroon and the Comoros Islands.

Source: REUTERS

Veteran Youssef Msakni scored to give previously unimpressive Tunisia a shock 1-0 triumph over 10-man Nigeria in Garoua on Sunday in an Africa Cup of Nations last-16 match.

The north Africans now face Burkina Faso, who eliminated Gabon after a penalty shootout, in the quarter-finals of the flagship African tournament next Saturday.

Nigeria had a good chance to level at the start of added time when substitute Umar Sadiq got behind the defence and fired across goalkeeper Bechir Ben Said only to see his shot trickle wide of the far post.

Msakni struck on 47 minutes and Nigerian hopes of levelling were dealt a major blow midway through the second half when Alex Iwobi was red-carded.

Nigeria started as favourites to reach the quarter-finals having won all three group matches in the northwestern city, with record seven-time champions Egypt among their victims.

Tunisia, making a record 15th consecutive Cup of Nations appearance from 1994, fell to Mali and minnows Gambia in the first round and squeezed into the knockout phase among the four best third-placed teams.

While Nigeria were able to choose 12 substitutes, Tunisia could manage only eight due to a coronavirus outbreak in the camp.

Also missing due to Covid-19 was Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier, who was isolating in coastal city Limbe at the other end of the central African country.

Tournament of surprises

Apart from being the more impressive in the group phase, the Nigerian Super Eagles also boasted an unbeaten record in five previous meetings with the Carthage Eagles, winning three and drawing two.

A lacklustre opening half produced only one shot on target, from Tunisia, as Nigeria were unable to recapture the first-round form that made them the only team among the 24 to boast a 100 percent record.

In a tournament full of surprises, another one arrived just after half-time when Qatar-based Msakni put the one-time Cup of Nations champions ahead.

Msakni, playing in his seventh Cup of Nations tournament, dribbled across the edge of the box before unleashing a curling shot that entered the net off the left arm of goalkeeper Maduka Okoye.

As Nigeria battled to break down a well-organised Tunisian defence, they suffered another blow midway through the second half when Iwobi had a yellow card changed to red after a VAR check.

Iwobi, an Everton winger and one of many Premier League players in Cameroon, had just come off the bench when he stamped on the ankle of Msakni.

Another substitute, Naim Sliti, almost doubled the Tunisian lead with 15 minutes remaining when he fired a shot toward the corner of the net only to be thwarted by a superb two-hand save from Okoye.

Nigeria had a chance to level as time ticked away, but Moses Simon sent a free-kick from just outside the box over the crossbar.

Source: AFP

Cameroon says that within four days, at least 1,500 football supporters have entered the country from neighboring Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to support their teams that have advanced to Round 16 in the Africa Football Cup of Nations, or AFCON. Gabon battles Burkina Faso Sunday, while Equatorial Guinea plays against Mali Wednesday. Tournament organizers require all fans to have COVID-19 tests before entering stadiums.

Cameroon’s immigration police said Saturday that buses carrying at least 900 football fans from Gabon and Equatorial Guinea have entered the central African state within 48 hours. Gabon and Equatorial Guinea are Cameroon’s southern neighbors.

The immigration police said about 600 other football fans from Gabon and Equatorial Guinea arrived in Cameroon by sea and by air this week.

Cameroon says the influx came after Gabon and Equatorial Guinea qualified for the knockout stage of the Africa Football Cup of Nations, or AFCON, in Cameroon. Gabon played a 2-2 draw Tuesday against Morocco in Yaoundé, and both teams advanced.

Equatorial Guinea sealed their place after a 1-0 win against Sierra Leone in a group match played at Limbes Omnisport Stadium in Cameroon’s English-speaking South West region Thursday.

Thirty-year-old Prosper Ebang is among the 1,500 supporters from Gabon and Equatorial Guinea Cameroon police say have entered Cameroon. Ebang says he wants to be part of a continental soccer event in which his country’s national football team, the Panthers of Gabon, are doing well.

Ebang says no citizen who loves Gabon can be indifferent when the Panthers are making Gabon proud with the excellent football exhibited in Cameroon during AFCON. He says he is certain that Gabon will reach the AFCON final if Cameroon continues providing a conducive environment for the games.

Felix Nguele Nguele is the governor of Cameroon’s South region that borders Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. He says Gabon and Equatorial Guinea officials have informed him that hundreds of other supporters are still on their way to Cameroon.

Ngueles says he has asked police and military in Cameroon’s southern border to ensure the safety of football fans and supporters from Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. He says he knows that people with evil intentions may want to disturb the visiting supporters since tensions mounted between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea in November.

On November 30, 2021, Cameroon said Equatorial Guinea was deporting thousands of Cameroonians who were living in the neighboring state illegally, citing national security concerns. Authorities in the capital, Malabo, said the Cameroonians fled conflict in western Cameroon, where government troops have been fighting anglophone separatists.

Videos from Cameroonians deported from Equatorial Guinea flooded social media platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp. In the video, Cameroonians claiming to have been forcibly sent out of Equatorial Guinea promised to chase football fans from the neighboring country visiting Cameroon for AFCON from January 9 to February 6.

Kisito Esua is president of the nongovernmental organization South West Youth League, headquartered in Limbe, an English-speaking southwestern town. Esua says the league is teaching youths to be hospitable to fans coming to Cameroon to support their football teams. He spoke via a messaging app from Limbe.

“The influx of fans and supporters from Gabon and Equatorial Guinea is so massive,” said Esua. “The fans have been coming in in their numbers by air, land and sea and we think that the turnout tomorrow will be something spectacular. So, we have made sure that the environment is so friendly, convivial and conducive.”

Cameroon’s Public Health ministry says the supporters who have arrived within the past 48 hours must respect COVID-19 restriction guidelines imposed by the Confederation of African Football. CAF says people must provide negative COVID-19 test results that are not more than 24 hours old as well as proof they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 to gain access to stadiums for AFCON matches.

The embassies of Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in Yaoundé say all the visiting fans have agreed to respect Cameroonian laws and COVID-19 restrictions instituted by Cameroon and CAF during their stay.

Source: VOA