CAN – Second victory for Cameroon who corrects Ethiopia and qualifies for the 8th

Cameroon will be there for the round of 16. Thanks to a second victory in two matches in this group A, the host country is the first to qualify for the rest of the competition. Much more battered by Ethiopia than the final score suggests (4-1), Antonio Conceiçao’s players were able to react thanks to two double signed Karl Toko-Ekambi (8th, 67th) and Vincent Aboubakar (53rd, 55th). Dawa Hotessa quickly opened the scoring (0-1, 4th). For their part, the Walyas must now aim for one of the four best third places.

Already double scorer in the opening match against Burkina Faso, Vincent Aboubakar did it again against Ethiopia. At first discreet despite a very nice strike rejected by Teklemariam Shanko (8th) just before the equalizing goal from Karl Toko Ekambi (1-1, 8th) after a cross from Collins Fai, he gained momentum after the break. Outpaced by the Ethiopian goalkeeper on a clever cross from Eric Maxim Choupo Moting (49th), he then put his team on the road to success in two minutes. By resuming a cross from Fai (2-1, 53rd) with a pricked head and then cutting the trajectory of that of Nicolas Ngamaleu (3-1, 55th). Each time, Aschalew Tamene was unable to thwart the plans of the competition’s top scorer with 4 goals in 2 matches.

A struggling defense

If the Cameroonian attack works well with a fourth goal from Toko Ekambi with a strike from the right after a hook that put Tamene and Debebe (4-1, 67th) in the wind and three amounts hit by Toko Ekambi from the head ( 40th), Anguissa (71st) and Fai (90th), the defense shows worrying signs of feverishness. Less endangered in the second period as Ethiopia sank after Aboubakar’s double, they were far from intractable before the break.

Amanuel Gebremichael went deep on the right side before finding Dawa Hotessa for the opener (0-1, 4th). Gebremichael was often the Ethiopian detonator but came up against Ngadeu (18th) then Onana (24th). A last thrill came from Surafel Dagnachew just before the break (45th + 1) but Ajax goalkeeper was still there to push back. Then Hotessa, yet in good shape, missed her shot (52nd) before the match definitively tilted in favor of Cameroon.

Of course, Cameroon is now the first to qualify for the knockout stages of its own CAN. But to see further in the competition and hope to lift the trophy a sixth time in the competition after the titles of 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002 and 2017, it will be necessary to find a defensive solidity. And hope to see Vincent Aboubakar keep this level until the end.