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Match - Sun 14 October, 16:00,
| Goals | Goals |
|---|---|
| 0. Achille Emana (22’) | 0. Heldon Nhuck (11’) |
| 0. Fabrice Olinga Essono (90 + 3’) |
Do or die for Cameroon!
Cameroonian international defender Aurélien Chedjou
And in order to turn the tide, the new national coach Jean-Paul Akono has made some major changes, redrafting the group since the routing they suffered at the hands of the Blue Sharks.
The former coach of the Under-23 national team, winners of the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics, succeeded in convincing the young central defender from Stade Rennais, Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik, to come and defend the national colours of Cameroon, as he managed to do with several former players, amongst whom the Lions’ charismatic striker, Samuel Eto’o.
The Anzhi Makhachkala striker makes his return along with that of defender Benoît Angbwa and midfielder Jean II Makoun, and other noteworthy call-ups are those of Modeste Mbami, Achille Webo and Pierre Womé Nlend.
The latter has been banned from the national team for several years, but prefers to concentrate on Sunday’s crucial match rather than on his personal case.
“The most important is not about being there, it is about qualifying because we need it, the Cameroonian people also need it. We have to do everything to ensure this qualification,” explained the Canon Sportif de Yaoundé captain on Tuesday in a press conference.
The Indomitable Lions are well aware of the responsibilities weighing on their shoulders and they have every intention of attaining this goal for the whole nation.
“We have come on a mission, to beat Cape Verde and to qualify for the Afcon. And to do that, we just have to prove it on the field, suffocate them, prevent them from playing and of course score as many goals as possible,” swore the LOSC central defender, Aurélien Chedjou.
Either way, the message sent out by the coach to his players does not leave them many alternatives.
“It would be totally inconceivable and even unacceptable for us to miss two consecutive Afcons.
“We refuse to be eliminated by Cape Verde,” threatened Jean-Paul Akono.
Will the four-time African champion manage to prevent Cape Verde from reaching the first Africa Cup of Nations final phase of their history?
The answer will be revealed on Sunday 14 October at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaoundé, from 16h00 CAT.
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