Cameroon Survive and Scrape into Quarterfinals with 2-2 draw against Tunisia

January 21st, 2010 | by: shane |

So Cameroon advanced into the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations today, but it was hardly a convincing result. A uninspiring Cameroon side against an equally uninspiring Tunisia side battled to 2-2 draw in Lubango. Cameroon finished the group with 4 points, equal to the number accumulated by Gabon and Zambia and a point more than the Tunisians who drew all three games. In the end it is the Zambians who win the group while Cameroon advance in second place.

I was unable to see the match but if I had I would have seen a vastly different Cameroon team. Manager Paul Le Guen made an astonishing 6 changes from the side that started out against Zambia. A few of them were expected with all time caps leader Rigobert Song dropped as well as Henri Bedimo. The other four players to get the axe were Geremi, Somen Tchoyi, Stéphane Mbia and Achille Emana. Of the changes the only one I wholeheartedly object to is the dropping of Emana. He had a very poor match against Zambia but was the best performer against Gabon. He should always be pencilled into the starting line up in my opinion. Here are the eleven who took part:

Kameni-Georges Mandjeck, Nkoulou, Aurelien Chedjou, Gilles Binya-Nguemo, A. Song, Makoun, Eyong Enoh-Idrissou, Eto’o
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The match started off disastrously for the Indomitable Lions as Tunisia went ahead in the opening minutes through a diving header from Amine Chermiti off a cross from Khaled Souissi. It was a well taken goal by Tunisia and the first goal conceded by Cameroon that wasn’t directly the result of a defensive mix up like the Gabon goal was and both Zambian goals.

Kameni was forced into saving a Yassin Mikari free kick only minutes later as Cameroon opened the match second best. They would soon begin to mount attacks on the Tunisian goal but no equalizer was forthcoming. There was a big moment of contention at about the 30 minute mark as Tunisian keeper Aymen Mathlouthi handled the ball outside the area but he was merely shown a yellow card rather than a red.

The game would go into the break with Tunisia up 1-0 which of course would have meant Cameroon were heading home in disgrace. Le Guen would make his first substitution at the start of the half bringing on Achille Webo for Jean Makoun. A sensible swap as Cameroon needed at least a goal and Makoun is primarily a defensive midfielder.

Much like the Idrissou substitution against Zambia this one would pay immediate dividends as well. Cameroon would draw level in the 46th minute as Mohammadou Idrissou beat the offside trap and passed off to Webo on the edge of the box. Webo would sprint past his marker and play a ball to Samuel Eto’o at about the six yard box and Eto’o made no mistakes with his finish to level the match at 1-1.

Cameroon glee would soon turn into utter misery as a hopeful Chaouki Ben Saada long ball would comically be headed into the Cameroon goal by Aurelien Chedjou, who of course plays for Cameroon in the 64th minute. Chedjou was attempting the head the ball back for keeper Carlos Kameni but the header looped well over Kameni and into the back of the net for an own goal. Poor Kameni must wonder what team his defenders are playing for in this tournament. It has been a series of calamitious errors by the Cameroonian defenders which has led to all the goals they have conceded with the exception of Tunisia’s opener.

However, just as quickly as glee had turned into misery would misery turn back into glee. Less than a minute later Cameroon would equalise. Landry Nguemo would fire home an equalizer right at the edge of the box to restore parity. The man to provide the assist for Nguemo would once again be Webo who delivered his second assist of the match and proved to be a truly inspired substitution.

There would be no more goals as Tunisia were unable to respond with any real goal scoring chances and would eventually be reduced to ten men after a second yellow card for Ammar Jemmal.

With Zambia defeating Gabon 2-1 in the other match it meant that after all the appropriate tie breakers were sorted out that Zambia won the group while Cameroon came in second. That means that Zambia will face Nigeria in the quarterfinals while Cameroon will go up against the two time reigning champions and twice conquerors in 2008 including in the final match, Egypt.

Based off the performances of the two teams to this point Egypt have to be considered the heavy favorites in that match. Cameroon will have to be vastly improved by January 25 in Benguela if they wish to continue on their march towards a 5 Nations Cup triumph. Egypt’s reign has to end sometime afterall.

Make sure to read up on Rami’s take on the match once he posts his thoughts on the excellent Tunisia blog. I’m sure he will be able to give you a much better idea of what happened since he saw the game.