In this Group C shock, Senegal dominated Cameroon (3-1) thanks in particular to Sadio Mané. The Senegalese are already qualified while Cameroon is on the verge of elimination.
This Friday of CAN offered us a new shock with this poster between Senegal and Cameroon . A match between two teams on completely different forms. The Senegalese, defending champion, could ensure their qualification for the round of 16 after their big victory against Gambia (3-0) in the first match. For their part, the Cameroonians had to take the three points since they had been held by Guinea (1-1) in the first match. And for this match, Rigobert Song decided to send Toko-Ekambi to the bench. Ngamaleu was preferred. André Onana was finally back in the cages. Aliou Cissé always relied on his nugget Lamine Camara in midfield with Pape Matar Sarr while Sadio Mané was always present up front.
In this meeting, there were no real surprises and logic was respected. Senegal, favorite on paper, played its football quite impressively and stifled a Cameroonian team that was far too messy and even disappointing. Logically, the Lions opened the scoring thanks once again to an OM player. This time, it was not Pape Gueye as in the first match, but Ismaïla Sarr who found the fault. His beautiful shot deceived a helpless Onana (16th, 1-0).
Cameroon is still missing out
Cameroon failed to come back before the end of the first period and above all did not seem to have the weapons to disrupt an impressively calm Senegalese defense. Even after returning from the locker room, when Sadio Mané's teammates were slowly retreating, the Indomitable Lions were unable to create the slightest opportunity. And Senegal stepped on the accelerator only once in the second half, enough to make the break. It was Habib Diallo who again deceived Onana (2-0, 71st). We then expected a quiet end to the match, but the innocuous reduction of the gap by Jean-Charles Castelletto revived the end of the match (2-1, 84th).
In the final minutes, Cameroon regained a little confidence and clearly put Senegal in doubt. And the turning point of the match took place in added time. On a new Cameroonian cross, in the final minutes, Georges-Kévin Nkoudou did not get his head on target even though he was all alone. A failure which condemned his team, because in the process, on the counter-attack, Sadio Mané sealed his team's victory with a beautiful strike (3-1, 90th + 6). Senegal secures three new points and already qualifies for the round of 16. We will have to count on them again this year. Cameroon falls again, under the eyes of Samuel Eto'o, and could exit from the group stages if it does not win against Guinea in the next match.