…Tinubu Asks for the Scalp of Lions of Cameroon as Souvenir.
The President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ahmed Bola Tinubu has ordered the Super Eagles of Nigeria to go for the scalp of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon when the two countries meet at the Round of 16 matches of the African Cup of Nations taking place at the 45,000 capacity Stade Felix Houphouet Boigny in Abidjan (opened in 1964) on Saturday 27th January 2024 at 9pm.
His Minister of Sports, James Enoh had dispatched a message to the Super Eagles Camp that their encounter with their neighboring country is a war that must be won under any circumstances.
The two countries are familiar foes in the round leather game. Current performance shows Nigeria is better as she chalked 7 points from 3 games scoring 3 goals and conceding only a goal placing second in her group, whereas Cameroon only earned 4 points coming as a lucky loser scoring 5 goals and conceding 6 goals.
The implication is that Nigeria is better in defence allowing one goal when Cameroon allowed 6 goals into their net; but Cameroon is better goal scorer on 5-3 goals. If the bunch of high scoring Nigerian attackers is in form, the match will end in regular time without extra time.
Dwelling further on current form using stats, Nigeria had a total 44 shots at goal with 11 shots on target in their 3 matches when Cameroon had 31 shots at goal with only 6 on target meaning Nigeria should have it easy but Cameroonians are better controller of games having total 178 or 59.5% ball control when Nigeria had 165 or 55% ball possession meaning Cameroon can hinder Nigeria from scoring because you only score when you have the ball.
Match between both countries are usually physical but stats shows Nigeria is more rugged with total 49-37 foul calls; 4 yellow cards to Nigeria and 2 to Cameroon. Nigeria had only 9 corner kicks to Cameroons 19 meaning Nigeria should be careful of set pieces advantage to Cameroon. Set pieces are what Goalkeeper Uzoho could not cope with but the current standard of the defence with Ekong back in there will diffuse every tension. New Keeper Nwabili a patient and calculative South Africa based safe hands will be in goal for Nigeria.
In their last AFCON matches in Ivory Coast, Cameroon beat Gambia 3-2; lost to Senegal 1-3 and drew 1-1 with Guinea. Nigeria beat Guinea by a lone goal, defeated hosts Ivory Coast also by a lone goal and played 1-1 with Equatorial Guinea. That in Nigeria is described as “Na God do am” or “Ori ba mi se” in Yoruba. Nigeria is a country that can wobble and fumble yet lift the trophy.
For editing purpose only a few head to head encounters will be cited. At the world cup qualifiers of 2017 Nigeria spanked Cameroon 4-0 on 1st September and in the 2nd leg played in Yaounde on 4th September that year it was 1-1 draw.
The last competitive match was the Round of 16 encounters like the one under preview played before a crowd of 10,000 fans at Alexandra Stadium in Egypt at AFCON 2019 and Ref Joshua Bindo of Botswana was in charge (where Odion Ighalo was highest Scorer with 5 goals). Ighalo got a brace (two goals in a match) at 19th and 63rd minute with Bahoken scoring at 41st minute and N’Jie equalized 44th minute before Alex Iwobi shoved in the decider which was his first goal at AFCON 2019.
There were two friendly matches in 2021. Cameroon won in Nigeria by a lone goal on 4th June 2021 and on 8th June 2021 in Yaounde it was goalless.
I covered a memorable match while I was Oyo State Editor of The Republic Newspaper that involved top Pentecostal Preacher, ArchBishop Benson Idahosa who had booked the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan for his crusade. Col. Sasaenia Oresanya was the Military Governor who received an order from Abuja to cancel the crusade that was to be on 2nd day on Nigeria’s Match Day. There was an administrative convulsion because Idahosa’s booking should not have been approved.
The Man of God threatened that he would call down Fire and Brimstone on the venue and the match would not be played. After the State Government persuaded him to calm down, he visited the then Green Eagles camp in an Hotel at Apata area of Ibadan and told then Coach not to field Wilfred Agbonivbare in goal and Peter Rufia (Dodo Mayana) from then became Nigeria’s goalkeeper. Idahosa anointed Dodo Mayana’s hands. According to Idahosa, the Aura of Agbonivbare who is a Bini man like him does not win matches. Nigerians later called Agbonibare Agbonibasket meaning one that leaks in goals.
Idahosa prophetically declared and commanded that the tide change and that Nigeria would win 2-0 and it was so. Hamilton introduced Etim Esin, Elastic Friday Elaho, Richard Owubokiri and Wole Odegbami (junior brother of Segun Odegbami) into the game. Some 50,000 fans watched the match at Ibadan. The Big Boss, Stephen Keshi and Samson Siasia were the scorers.
I also saw in my record a world cup 2nd leg qualifier match played at the 90,000 capacity Ahmadu Ahidjo Stadium, Yaounde on 27th August 1989 where Cameroon won by a lone goal scored in the 31st minute by Francois Omam-Biyik.
With former Cameroonian Captain and President Cameroonian Football Association, Samuel Eto Fils taking the match personal to motivate his players and Nigerian Veteran, Segun Odegbami leading the pack of Nigeria’s former players the 90 minutes or 120 minutes of play if it goes into extra time will be interesting to watch. I do not see the match going into penalty shootouts but even it does, Nigeria has greater potentials to win.
I see African Player of the Year Osimhen scoring and senior man, Kelechi causing the Cameroonians to commit penalty but ageless Cameroonian Captain Vincent Abubakar who just got a new wife and is as dangerous as a rattle snake may task Ola Aina on Nigeria’s right defence.
Cameroon lost to Russia 0-1 in a friendly on 14th October 2023; lost to Senegal 0-1 in a friendly on 17th October 2023; slammed Mauritius 3-0 in a world cup encounter on 18th November 2023; played 1-1 with Liberia in a world cup match on 22nd November 2023 and on 9th January 2024 settled for 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe in a friendly.
Cameroon is four times AFCON champions. The podium finish of Cameroon is impressive. In 1972 they hosted and won Bronze defeating Zaire 5-2; The Lions first won the trophy in Ivory Coast in 1984 caging the Super Eagles of Nigeria 3-1; in 1986 she lost the trophy in a penalty shootout 5-4 after a goalless match to hosts Egypt; in 1988 they took the trophy again beating Nigeria 1-0 in Morocco; but in 1992 at Senegal the team ended 4th losing the Bronze to Nigeria 1-2.
When Nigeria and Ghana co-hosted in 2000 Cameroon again defeated their foes Nigeria 4-3 on penalty after 2-2 draw; it was back to back win for Cameroon in 2002 in Mali beating Senegal on penalty 3-2 after a goalless full time; at Ghana 2008, Cameroon bagged the Silver losing to Egypt by a lone goal; Cameroon last won the trophy at Gabon in 2017 beating Egypt 2-1 but hosting the last edition, Cameroon won Bronze beating Burkina Faso via penalty 5-3 after the grueling match ended 3-3.
Nigeria ranked 42 in the world is making her 26th appearance at AFCON. She is three times champion with some impressive podium finish. She got Bronze at Ethiopia 76 beating Egypt 3-2; bagged another Bronze in Ghana 78 beating Tunisia 2-0; won in Lagos at 1980 beating Algeria 3-0; got the Silver in three consecutive competitions – Ivory Coast 1984 losing to Cameroon 3-1, at Morocco 88 losing again to Cameroon 0-1 and Algeria 90 losing to Algeria by a lone goal.
Nigeria got Bronze at Senegal 92 beating rivals Cameroon 2-1; became champions at Tunisia 94 with a 2-1 win over Zambia; again lost to Cameroon when Nigeria/Ghana hosted in 2000 via 4-3 penalty shootouts after 2-2 scores to bag the Silver; Got the Bronze with a lone goal victory over Mali at Mali 2002; back to Tunisia in 2004 Nigeria won Bronze with a lone goal victory over Senegal; at Egypt 2006 Nigeria again beat Senegal 1-0 to win the Bronze; in 2010 at Angola Nigeria beat Algeria by a lone goal to win Bronze; she came back at South Africa 2013 under Stephen Keshi to win the trophy beating the Stallions of Burkina Faso by a lone goal scored by Sunday Mba and in 2019 she got the Bronze at Egypt in a lone goal victory over Tunisia. Please note that only podium finish records are presented concerning Nigeria.
Nigeria played 2-2 draw with Saudi Arabia in a friendly played in Portugal on 14th October 2023 and on the 19th of October beat Mozambique 3-2 in another friendly on the same pitch in Portugal; Nigeria played an amazing 1-1 draw with Lesotho in a world cup match on 17th October of November 2023; she again played 1-1 with Zimbabwe in another world cup match on the 19th of November 2023 and on 8th January 2024 Nigerians were stunned with 0-2 loss to Guinea in a friendly match in Nigeria.
Winner between Nigeria and Cameroon will meet winner between Angola and the Brave Warriors of Namibia in the Quarterfinals.
Nigeria has been in encouragement euphoria with a calculation that players might go home with N42m or $35m match bonuses if they win their seven matches at AFCON. The break down shows that each player is to collect $5k for winning a match and multiplied by seven means good haul of $35K but the prize money may increase at the knockout stages Well, the Federal Government of Nigeria cleared all the outstanding bonuses owed by previous governments shortly before the Eagles flew to Abidjan in princely attire.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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