…Super Eagles to Meet Lions of Cameroon in Round of 16.
Defending champions, Teranga Lions of Senegal showed champions stuff emerging the first country to chalk maximum points of 9 at the group stages plucking the Sylli National of Guinea 2-0 to top group C.
And when the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon needed a victory most the former champions stamped on the Scorpions of Gambia 3-2 in a dicey encounter that marveled observers who thought Gambia would win the match.
The Senegal versus Guinea match was very rough from the opening whistle to the extent that the bench of each team came to the field for physical confrontation about four times making it difficult for the Centre Ref with a long name, Pacifique Ndabihawenimana of Burundi to officiate at Stade Bouake.
Maccabi Haifa of Israel player, Abdoulalaye Seek put Senegal ahead in the 61st minute and Senegal sent the Guineans down the ladder in a popular SNAKES AND LADDER GAME in the 90th minute with a goal set up by Sadio Mane for Marseilles IIiman Ndiaye to score which is a record for Senegal that has never won all three group matches.
Former African Player of the Year Sadio Mane played his heart out to see Senegal win though two of his goals were not accepted.
Cameroon’s first scored in the 56th minute through Karl Toko N’Koudou but Gambia equalized in the 72nd minute through Ablie Jallow off a coded pass by Fadara.
Gambia came forward with the second goal through Swiss Young Boys player, Ebrima in the 85th minute only for James Gomez to give Cameroon the second goal in an own goal default. Christopher Wooh sent the whole of Cameroon jubiliating with the winner 90+1 minute.
Thus, Senegal sat confidently on table C with full points of 9 scoring 8 goals and conceding just a goal; Cameroon popped up second with 4 points scoring 5 goals and conceding 6 with +1 goals difference to painfully displace Guinea to the 3rd place with also 4 points scoring 2 goals and conceding 3 goals with -1 goals difference while Gambia’s Scorpion will crawl home being at the bottom with no point 2 goals scored and 7 conceded.
Gambia and Cameroon met thrice. On 6th September 2015 in an AFCON qualifier, Cameroon beat Gambia 1-0; in another AFCON qualifier on 3rd September 2016 Cameroon consumed Gambia 2-0 and in an AFCON match of 29th January 2022 Cameroon lashed Gambia 2-0.
Guinea and Senegal met twice with Senegal winning both matches. On 3rd February 2006 in an AFCON match, Senegal defeated Guinea 3-2 and on 14th January 2023 at AFCON final tournament they played goalless.
Gambia lost her first match in Ivory Coast 0-3 to Defending Champions, Senegal on 15th January and the second match she lost again to Guinea by a lone goal on 19th January.
Guinea drew her first match at AFCON 23 with Cameroon on 15th January and the second match she won 1-0 over Gambia on 19th January.
Cameroon played 1-1 with Gambia first and lost resoundingly to Senegal 3-1 in the second match.
Senegal defended their title with a 3-0 bashing of Gambia and stamped her authority over fellow Lions of Cameroon 3-1.
Also tonight at 9pm, Mauritania and their neighbor Algeria will play in group D and Angola will tackle the Stallions of Mali.
The last of the group matches will be played tomorrow Wednesday. First at 6pm Group E will be decided between Namibia and Mali and the star match of the group will be Tunisia versus South Africa.
Morocco will test strength against Zambia in Group F and at the same time, Tanzania will try to glow above DR Congo both at 9pm.
Round of 16 matches will start on Saturday with two matches per day at 6pm and 9pm.
Nigeria will play Cameroon at Houphouet Boigny Stadium on 27th January at 9pm; Cape Verde will play 3rd group A/D at the Boigny Stadium on 29th; Egypt will play the runners-up of Group F at San Pedro on 28th January and Equatorial Guinea will meet Guinea on 28th January at Quattara Stadium. Senegal will play 3rd in group A/F on 29th January at Yamoussoukro. Cape Verdewill play 3rd in Group D at Boigny Stadium on 29th January.
Eniola Olatunji reporting for Patmos Media Line.
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