Guinea joined the list of surprise teams at the Africa Cup of Nations, securing a 1-1 draw against five-time champions Cameroon in Group C on Monday, despite playing the second half with 10 men.
Mohamed Bayo gave Guinea the lead before captain Francois Kamano was sent off just before halftime. Frank Magri’s equalizer early in the second half, Cameroon failed to secure a winning goal.
Guinea’s impressive performance followed a series of unexpected results on Sunday, including Cape Verde defeating Ghana, Mozambique holding Egypt, and Equatorial Guinea drawing with Nigeria. In an earlier match on Monday, title-holders Senegal dominated Gambia 3-0, with Lamine Camara scoring twice.
Cameroon faced challenges with Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana not included in the matchday 23 due to his late arrival in the Ivorian capital, having played for United in a Premier League draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Coach Rigobert Song opted for Fabrice Ondoa as the starting goalkeeper, with star forward Vincent Aboubakar ruled out due to injury.
Guinea suffered a setback before the match when Serhou Guirassy, a key scorer for Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, was ruled out with a knee injury. Despite this, Bayo took on the attacking role and surprised Cameroon by scoring in the 10th minute.
Cameroon enjoyed possession but struggled to trouble Guinea’s goalkeeper Ibrahima Kone. A Guinea counterattack saw Sekou Sylla’s long-range shot narrowly miss the target. The first half ended on a sour note for Guinea as Kamano was sent off after VAR review showed a stamp on his opponent’s heel.
Cameroon pressed in the second half, and Magri leveled the score with a far-post header in the 51st minute. Kone made crucial saves, parrying a close-range shot from Karl Toko Ekambi. Water breaks were implemented due to the scorching 36-degree Celsius (97-degree Fahrenheit) heat during the match.
In the next set of group matches on Friday, Cameroon will face Senegal, and Guinea will take on Gambia in a Yamoussoukro double-header.
Source: AGENCIES (AFP)
