Cameroon secured a spot in the last 16 of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations by coming from behind with two late goals to defeat The Gambia in a thrilling encounter. The dramatic victory knocked The Gambia out of the tournament, with Cameroon claiming second place in Group C on goals scored.
Cameroon, a five-time champion, will now face Nigeria at Abidjan’s Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium on Saturday (20:00 GMT). The Gambia, coached by Tom Saintfiet, looked set to pull off a massive upset with a 93rd-minute goal, but it was ruled out for handball.
Guinea’s 2-0 defeat against group winners Senegal allowed Cameroon to move above them in the final table. Despite the loss, The Gambia still advances as one of the four best third-placed teams. Following their exit without a point, coach Tom Saintfiet resigned from his position.
The Gambia took the lead when Ebrima Colley curled in a shot from a tight angle with less than six minutes of normal time remaining. This put The Scorpions ahead for the first time in the match and seemingly dashed Cameroon’s hopes.
However, Cameroon fought back, with James Gomez scoring an own goal to make it 2-2. Christopher Wooh’s header in added time secured Cameroon’s second spot, completing an extraordinary turnaround.
Cameroon’s head coach, Rigobert Song, made notable changes to the starting lineup, including dropping Andre Onana and restoring Fabrice Ondoa in goal. The decision paid off as Cameroon, initially facing elimination, secured a dramatic victory and advanced to the knockout stage.
The match featured an end-to-end first half, with both teams having chances. After a goalless first half, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou broke the deadlock for Cameroon with a header, but The Gambia quickly leveled the score with Ablie Jallow’s deft volley. The dramatic sequence of three goals in seven minutes included Karl Toko Ekambi rattling the crossbar and Ebrima Colley’s stunning strike that put The Gambia in the lead briefly.
Cameroon’s fate was ultimately sealed with Christopher Wooh’s late header, securing their place in the last 16 in an extraordinary finish to the match.
Source: BBC Sports
