Post by : Meena Ariff

Cameroon secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Gabon in a thrilling Group F opener at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The winning goal came early in the sixth minute when a Spanish-based striker skillfully placed his shot beneath the Gabon goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba after a precise assist from Bryan Mbeumo. The goal was confirmed after a VAR check.

With this win, Cameroon joins defending champions Ivory Coast at the top of Group F. Both teams now lead the group as all 24 teams in the tournament have played their first matches.

Cameroon, five-time Africa Cup of Nations winners and the African country with the most World Cup appearances, have faced recent difficulties. They missed World Cup qualification last month and changed coaches just weeks before the tournament. Goalkeeper Andre Onana was also excluded from the squad.

Despite these challenges, Cameroon started strongly, creating more scoring chances throughout the match. Bryan Mbeumo was especially influential, setting up multiple opportunities. Junior Tchamadeu narrowly missed a chance early in the second half, and substitute Frank Magri hit the crossbar with a header late in the game.

Gabon began the match without key striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who joined the team only recently after recovering from a thigh injury. Both Aubameyang and Mario Lemina were brought on early in the 32nd minute as Gabon tried to get back into the game. Denis Bouanga had a few chances but was unable to make a decisive impact, while Aubameyang struggled to find form during his limited time on the field.

#Global News #Sports News