Cameroon got their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations campaign off with a 1-1 draw over 10-man Guinea in Group C on Monday evening.
The Indomitable Lions are gunning for a sixth AFCON title while the National Elephants are looking to make another strong statement in the competition.
It was the latter that started the game brightly with Valencia centre-back Mouctar Diakhaby’s header from a freekick narrowly going over the crossbar in the seventh minute.
Guinea were however not denied three minutes later when Le Harve forward Mohamed Bayo was well positioned to tap in from a rebounded effort that Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa palmed away.
Cameroon tried to find the equaliser in the 13th minute but Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s header from a freekick went wide.
Guinea were dealt a big blow in added time of the first half after captain Francois Kamano was given his marching orders for a stamp on an opposition player. The referee had initially given the Abha FC winger a yellow card but upgraded it to a red card after consulting with the pitchside VAR monitor.
Cameroon equalised six minutes after the break as Georges-Kevin N’Koudou’s cross found the head of Frank Magri to send the ball into the net.
⌚️ FULL-TIME!
It’s a draw as Cameroon and Guinea share the points after an intense contest. ????#CMRGUI | #TotalEnergiesAFCON2023 pic.twitter.com/7WyP7jsdkb
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 15, 2024
Abha FC Karl Toko Ekambi was almost close to netting the winner for Cameroon in added time but Guinea goalkeeper Ibrahim Kone reacted brilliantly to stop the rebounded effort from going in.
Rigobert Song’s men will hope to get their first win of the competition when they face reigning champions Senegal next while the Guineans tackle the Gambia.
