Mbeumo's Cameroon edge Aubameyang's Gabon as Eyong strike settles tight AFCON clash

Karl Etta Eyong struck inside six minutes to hand five-time champions Cameroon a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Gabon in an Africa Cup of Nations Group F encounter in Agadir on Wednesday, December 24. 

The match ushered in a new chapter for Cameroon, with coach David Pagou taking charge for his first AFCON match following the dismissal of Belgian coach Marc Brys amid a prolonged leadership dispute within the federation.

Cameroon made their intentions clear early on with Mbeumo threading a precise pass into the path of Eyong, whose movement created space before he calmly slipped the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba.

Gabon responded by introducing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after 33 minutes, despite reports suggesting the former African Player of the Year had been sidelined with a knock. Alongside Denis Bouanga, Gabon struggled to break down a composed Indomitable Lions defence.

The win proved decisive and lifted Cameroon level on three points with defending champions Ivory Coast, who also opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over Mozambique earlier in the day. It also marked a breakthrough moment for the Indomitable Lions against their Central African rivals, ending a winless AFCON run against Gabon that had stretched back to a 2010 defeat and a draw seven years later.