Five-time Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winners Cameroon showed their resilience as they fought back to earn a gripping 1-1 draw against defending champions Ivory Coast in Marrakech, a result that moved both sides onto four points in Group F, Softfootball reports.
Both nations came into matchday two full of confidence after narrow opening victories, with Cameroon edging Gabon 1-0 in their group opener, while Ivory Coast saw off Mozambique by the same scoreline. Given the defensive solidity shown by both teams in those first outings, a tight and tense contest was always on the cards, and that is exactly how the opening half unfolded.
Clear-cut chances were few and far between in an intense first 45 minutes, but the crowd which included high-profile spectators such as Barcelona’s Jules Koundé and Real Madrid stars Aurélien Tchouaméni and Kylian Mbappé, were briefly lifted from their seats when Cameroon came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock.
Christian Kofane met a first-time effort sweetly, only for Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana to react brilliantly and tip the ball onto the crossbar in the most dramatic moment before the break.
If the first half was cagey, the second exploded into life almost immediately. Ivory Coast thought they had taken the lead when Franck Kessié finished calmly, but celebrations were cut short after the goal was ruled out for offside. Moments later, Cameroon went close themselves as Danny Namaso’s deflected effort crashed against the woodwork, signalling a frantic spell of play.
That flurry was soon capped by a moment of quality from Amad Diallo. The winger, who had been named Man of the Match in Ivory Coast’s opening win over Mozambique, once again delivered when it mattered, working space on the edge of the box before curling an unstoppable strike into the corner to put the defending champions ahead.
During the game, CAF via its official X handle,shared the reaction of Ivory Coast midfielder Fofana celebrating passionately Amad Diallo’s opener. They posted;
Cameroon, however, refused to be overawed. Their response was swift and slightly fortunate, as Junior Tchamadeu let fly from the right side of the area. His effort took a wicked deflection off Ghislain Konan, looping over the backpedalling Devis Epassy and dropping just over the line despite the goalkeeper’s desperate attempt to claw it away.
Interestingly during the game, exclusive footage of Cameroon’s equalizer courtesy Junior Tchamadeu joyful celebration with his teammates at the Cameroon fans end of the field was shared via Caf official X handle, They posted
Buoyed by the equaliser, the Indomitable Lions pushed for a winner, with Bryan Mbeumo coming closest when his whipped free-kick flashed narrowly wide of the post. In the end, though, both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.
The draw guarantees at least a top-three finish in the group for both Cameroon and Ivory Coast, keeping qualification firmly within reach. For Ivory Coast, Diallo’s continued influence will be encouraging, while Cameroon can take heart from another disciplined and determined display as the group phase heads towards its decisive stages.
