- Cameroon have one point in two matches
- They must win to secure qualification
- Senegal have already qualified and play Guinea
Cameroon’s head coach Rigobert Song is a man under pressure as the Indomitable Lions take on Gambia in their final Group C match at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Cameroon have just one point from two matches and must win against Gambia to be assured of making the last 16. A win by a good margin will possibly see them finish second, but only if Guinea lost Senegal. Four points can also still be enough to take them through as one of the best placed number three teams.
Song, with expectations huge, says his team will go all out against Gambia, after they lost 3-1 against defending champions Senegal.
“I think that the players did everything they could during the match, and small details made the difference . e admit that the competitor was better than us,” Song said, speaking after the duel against Senegal.
Song now remains confident that they can get a result against Gambia and make the last 16.
“I am always optimistic. As long as there is a final match, there are no calculations to make. The next match will be a final for us, and I know that we will qualify for the second round. It is a tough game because Gambia are good despite their results. We must be at our best,” the tactician noted.
Cameroon victory done, Senegal not taking chances against Guinea
Senegal head coach Aliou Cisse during a training session. PHOTO/FSF
Meanwhile, despite already having qualified for the round of 16, defending champions Senegal have vowed to give their all in their final Group C match against Guinea.
They have a two-point lead over Guinea and need just a point to finish top of the group, but coach Aliou Cisse says he has prepared his side to go all out for a win.
“We prepared for the match seriously and professionally, just as we had prepared for previous matches. The match between Senegal and Guinea is a much-anticipated derby in West Africa. Our third match is important, and we are counting on a win in order to stay in the lead,” the coach said.
Cisse has noted that they have put their first two victories against Cameroon and Gambia behind their backs and are solely focused on earning maximum points in their final match.
Midfielder Nampalys Mendy says the players know the weight of the job ahead of them and are determined to give a good account.
“Matches change, but the determination remains the same. Everyone is focused on the match, even though we qualified for the next round. I did not speak to my colleague at Lens teammates. We are friends, but on the field each one defends his country’s team,” Mendy said.
Diawara targets victory against champions Senegal
Guinea coach Kaba Diawara photo/caf
On the other end, Guinea’s head coach Kaba Diawara says he is confident that his team can beat defending champions Senegal.
Guinea have four points off one win and a draw, while already qualified Senegal have six points from back to back wins.
For Guinea and Diawara, their target is on finishing top of the group to ensure they get a lesser tougher opponent in the round of 16.
Diawara says; “Facing Senegal will be the group’s biggest game and we’re aiming to beat the champions, not just play them.”
The coach adds; “We have 4 points so far, which is good, but it is not enough. We play all the matches to win, and victory over Senegal means that we will go top of the group, and we will not have to travel for the quarter-final match,”
“We will face the defending champion, who have 6 points and has scored 6 goals so far. The pressure will not be on us, but on Senegal because they are African champions,” further insinuates the coach.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login