Softfootball understands that Cameroon scraped into the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stages with a 2–1 win over Mozambique, who also made it through as one of the best third-placed teams.
After the game, CAF shared a post about the result via their official X account and also congratulated Cameroon.
They posted:
FULL-TIME! Cameroon turns it around to get their second Group Stage win.
Cameroon, following their 1-1 draw against the Ivory Coast and a 1-0 victory against Gabon, started this game pushing forward. Christian Kofane had a couple of headers go wide, while Danny Namaso saw a sharp strike saved by Ivane Urrubal.
Kofane kept missing chances through the first half, and Mozambique wasn’t completely out of it either; Gildo Vilanculos forced Devis Epassy into a solid stop.
Then came a shock for the Lions. In the 23rd minute, Mozambique’s Geny Catamo curled a lovely strike from outside the box past Epassy, putting the visitors ahead. But Cameroon hit back fast. Five minutes later, Nené deflected Frank Magri’s effort into his own net after the ball had bounced off the post, and the scores were level again.
The second half belonged more to Cameroon. Their persistence paid off in the 55th minute when Kofane smashed a long-range effort that hit the underside of the bar and went in, giving the Lions the lead. They kept pressing, but Urrubal stayed alert, denying Kofane a second.
Cameroon could’ve sealed it in the 78th minute, but substitute Karl Etta Eyong misfired a simple chance. Mozambique nearly punished them late on, with João Bonde scuffing a volley from a good position. In the end, Cameroon held on, though a late Ivory Coast goal against Gabon meant they finished second in Group F.
Despite the nervy moments, Cameroon showed grit and attacking flair; Kofane, in particular, stood out. Mozambique, for their part, can be proud; they’re into the knockouts and showed they can compete with stronger sides, giving fans plenty to cheer about.
