Host nation, Cameroon are through to the quartefinals of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a 2-1 victory over 10-man Comoros who had an outfield player in goal.
The ‘Coelacanths’ of Comoros Islands had twelve of its squad members ruled out with COVID-19-19 and were left with no registered goalkeeper, the team turned to an outfield player who is a left-back to stood between the sticks against the hosts.
Things went from bad to worse just seven minutes into the game, as a VAR review of Nadjim Abdou’s foul led to the captain being dismissed.
Toko-Ekambi opened the scoring in the 27th minute after slugging an easy shot past Chaker Alhadhur.
Despite being a man down, Comoros forced André Onana to make multiple saves to helped the hosts had the lead at halftime.
The defender-turned-goalkeeper for the evening, Chaker Alhadhur made a fine double save to deny Aboubakar and Nicolas Ngamaleu, but the defender in him could not be taken away when he kept his hands behind his back as Aboubakar eventually doubled the lead in the 70th minute.
The Coelacanths refused to give up and kept knocking on Onana’s goal mouth, an effort which eventually paid off with nine mile left on the regular time when substitute, Youssouf M’Changama fired in a looping free-kick from 30 yards, but in the end, it wasn’t enough to prevent Cameroon taking their place in the quarter-finals.
Cameroon have only progressed to the quartefinals on two of the last six occasions they have been involved at this stage.
MOLATsportgist 