Cameroon drop points against 10-man Guinea at AFCON
Football
By
Washington Onyango
| Jan 16, 2024
Cameroon faced a stumbling start to their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign, settling for a 1-1 draw against a resilient 10-man Guinea side, who showcased their mettle by extending their unbeaten streak in opening games at the tournament to four.
Despite missing the influential Serhou Guirassy due to injury, Guinea demonstrated their early intent when Valencia defender Mouctar Diakhaby's header narrowly missed the target.
In the 10th minute, Le Havre's Mohamed Bayo capitalized on Cameroon's defensive lapse, securing a 1-0 lead after the Indomitable Lions failed to clear their lines.
Cameroon's Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa had an opportunity to level the score immediately, but his header went wide of Ibrahim Kone's goal.
The complexion of the match changed drastically when Francois Kamano received a red card on the stroke of halftime for a reckless challenge, giving Cameroon a numerical advantage for the second half.
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The Indomitable Lions capitalized on this advantage as Georges-Kevin Nkoudou delivered an exquisite cross to Frank Magri, who nodded the ball home, restoring parity within six minutes of the second half.
Despite Magri's equalizer, Cameroon struggled to break through Guinea's resolute defense, with Karl Toko Ekambi squandering a chance to secure a late winner by firing straight at Kone.
In the end, Guinea held firm to secure a hard-earned point, while Cameroon, despite extending their unbeaten run in the AFCON group stage to 10 matches, was left disappointed for missing out on three points in their tournament opener. The draw sets an intriguing tone for both teams as they navigate the challenging path ahead in Group F.