This was one of the big posters of the Senegal-Cameroon group stage and, although it did not produce much spectacle apart from the last fifteen minutes, it proved crucial for the future of the two favorites in this CAN. Without really shining in this duel between the Lions, Teranga’s men secured their second win in two matches on Friday (3-1), followed by a win against Gambia (3-0) on Monday.
They have already qualified for the round of 16, and can guarantee top spot in Group C this evening if no winner emerges from the Gambia-Guinea match (9pm). For its part, Cameroon will have to fight to the end not to drop Ivory Coast in the first round.
Frustrated against Guinea (1-1), Rigobert Song’s men conceded the first clear-cut chance of the match on Friday, the only one in the first period. In the second leg a corner boxed by Andre Onana, who was making his debut in the competition, Pape Matar Sir won a decisive duel at the entrance to the area which Ismaila Sir had the advantage of. Without attacking the area, Marseille fired a key shot that wrong-footed the Cameroonian goalkeeper, who was surprised by an unfortunate deflection off Zambo-Anguisa (16th).
Nkoudou misses an unlikely equaliser
The rest of the meeting was free of dangerous conditions for a long time. With an incredible Cameroon and a gritty Senegal who were slow to worry Onana again. At the hour mark, there was only one bullet on target. The second goal came in the 71st minute, and it was another particularly painful one for the unconvinced Lions: on the right, Ismaila Sar sent a low cross to the far post that surprised the opposing rearguard, Jean-Charles Castelletto, into the lead. And Habib Diallo had to push the ball into the Cameroonian net under the watchful eye of Fekafoot president Samuel Eto’o, who was in the stands.
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Senegal had not beaten Cameroon in CAN for thirty-four years and won 2-0 in 1990.
Perhaps touched by his pride, Castelletto reduced the gap with a powerful header past Kalidou Koulibaly in the 83rd. It was Nantais again who sent an ideal cross to the far post in added time but Georges-Kevin Nkaudo headed wide for what might have been the last chance of the match (90th + 4). In the process, Senegal scored a third goal through Sadio Mane, with a nice deflection from the right (3-1, 90th+5). With just one point from two matches, the Cameroonians will look forward to the second group match, Guinea-Gambia, on Friday evening. The Senegalese, for their part, respected their status as the reigning African champions.
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