Indomitable Lions of Cameroon skipper Vincent Aboubakar has blamed his teammates after Thursday’s semi-final defeat to Egypt.
The Pharaohs edged hosts Cameroon 3-1 on penalties after 120 minutes of football ended 0-0 inside the Olembe stadium in Yaoundé.
Cameroon dominated the first half but failed to take advantage of some of the few chances they had.
And during the shootout, while Aboubakar scored Cameroon’s only goal, Egypt’s Abou Gabal made two saves before Clinton Njie struck his effort wide.
Also Read: Mane: Why Salah Can’t Stop Senegal’s AFCON 2021 Title Dream
And speaking in his post-match press conference Aboubakar, who is still the top scorer with six goals, said individual play rather than collective play was their undoing.
“It’s a big disappointment,” he lamented.
“Cameroon organizes a CAN and is eliminated in the semi-finals. Everyone wanted to do what they want and here is the result today. When we play collectively, we do good things.”
The hosts will now face Burkina Faso in the third-placed match on Saturday while Egypt and Senegal will battle in Sunday’s final.
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36 Comments
I quite echoed the thoughts of Abubakar as well because the Cameroonian were becoming more complacent and playing to the gallery owing to their past fine forms but football is all about team spirit, collectiveness and consistency.
Oga, leave that talk abeg. If you had won via spot kicks, you wouldn’t be saying all that.
Haba, Monsieur Aboubakar, don’t lash at your mates and exonerate yourself from blame. Soccer is a team sport, a game after all, just like a coin with 2 sides. Your team even fared better than the mighty SE whose wings were clipped before the take off.
Congratulations to Cameroon for rugged perseverance, and for holding the competition after series of upsets. Cameroon’s victory would have spread the joy to Nigeria in a way—a stretch of both countries sharing the same language and culture.
Let’s hope we continue our rivalry/brotherhood in Côte d’Ivoire.
A learnt should be learnt from this Egypt team… Perfect tactics.
Just like Tunisia knew we would do, Egypt knew Cameroon will come at them from the blast of the whistle.
Frustrate them not to score on the 45minutes… Continue to play great defence and let them run and tire-out… Push them to late periods in the game without conceding and allow them become frenetic before an expectant crowd… then take your game to them.
It’s a masterclass Egypt delivered but without savvy and astute defenders, it’s not possible against a charging and intimidating host as opponent.
Egypt learnt from what South Africa did to them in 2019 at 2nd round stage. Once it gets a penalty… the caneroonian takers were more under immense pressure and they buckled.
Bravo Egypt… One more to go but I will be rooting for a first for Senegal. But if it goes Egypt way, I will be happy for them. Nigeria were the only ones to have poke them in the eye so far and it’s a thing atleast for us real ball fans of Super Eagles to smart about. One love all…
Exactly my thoughts Egypt lost only to Nigeria. Senegal will take the game to next level against Egypt because they have more purpose compared to the Egyptians. Senegal will win if officiating is fair.
You know you are losing a game when your start missing begging chances as well as constantly being beaten to second balls. PROVEN BY BET LORDS n for those into vain betting game.I saw that happened in the SE game against Tunisia, though as soon as Osimene chose not to play in the AFCON, I concluded straight away we only had a 5% chance of winning the Cup.
This AFCON was going to be 90% ours with Osimene while the 10% to make it 100% ours for the taken could have been with Victor Moses present in the team. NIGERIA MUST START TREATING OUR NATIONAL TEAMS WITH UTMOST PROFFESSIONALISM.
Suoer Eagles need class players.
I am sorry I am writing this here but I just got the inspiration..
Class players are the ones who rise to the occasion when things are going rough in a match or tournament.
We had three class players at afcon 2013 – Victor Moses l, Mikel Obi and Vincent enyeama.
The performance of class players will run off on others in a match or tournament and they also begin to play like machines.
At afcon 2013, this trio did that to the likes of omeruo, onazi, Sunday MBA, emenike, etc. You will observe that these players have not really done great things after then
Class players do the magic when things look rough. Mane and Salah have done that here.
A class player eliminated us at afcon 2019 – mahres.
At afcon 1994 and Atalanta 1996 we have a lot of them.
Players who develope into class players in present eagles: ndidi needs to step up. You don’t just block the defence, you inspire victories for the team. He should go and watch the games of Patrick viera. Ndidi should step up.
Oshimen missing afcon was painful. He is the only one close to a class player. He has done the work on many occasions..
Nwobi is already becoming a big disappointment. He has the skill to become one. The same with iheanacho. They blow hot and cold.
Whatever happened to Samuel kalu? He was doin that at the early stage of his suoer eagles days. Something bkust went wrong. He made not to Miss Victor Moses.
Can we begin to pray for Moses Simon. He should just step up from where he stopped at afcon 2921. He showed he can be a class player foe eagles.
Chukwueze. I am losing hope already on this guy.
My mind tella me desser can be one. But we need to test him first.
We need class players.
If okoye had saved that goal against Tunisia as a super class goal keeper and an iheanacho score a suoer class goal in the dying minutes, we could have been in the final today.
Lol, @Christian ministries, you are saying this. When we were saying that our players need to move to bigger teams at clubsises level. You and your co-horts were clamouring for the inclusion of players outside the top 5 league’s saying they were raining goals here and there.
When we said we need a coach that can instruct the talents and help nurture them to perform well in Natonal team, you and your co-horts preached that our own is better.
That we don’t need a foreigner yada yada yada. Now you are saying we need class players in our team, are they going to become class overnight.
You don’t think a national team coach has a role to play in helping them become class players.
Abi Eguavoen has international contacts to call on at international clubsides to help push his boys.
Your nose is now smelling the shit. No worry, when Egu and Amunike has finished opening their books of performance at SUPER Eagles, you will have a better clarity of the word wisdom.
You got it wrong my brother. You did not catch what I was trying to say. Was yekinini playing in top 5 leagues when he was a class player for eagles. What about aghanhowa who was deciding matches for eagles then. Amunike was in zamalek and was doing it for us them.
Yes it’s Great they are in top 5 leagues but that’s not what I am saying here.
That is why we have to read post without bias.
Some class players are made. Keshi never played in top 5 leagues yet he was great and was a class player.
Some class players grow to become one.
That was hwy I mentioned some players who have that capacity.
You see all these noise by ROH about top 5 leagues are overrated.
Coaches okay a great role in helping players reach that level. Westehof was one. A great builder of players. One who helped to bring lots of our players then up to that level. Rohr does not have that, he takks down players.
Let’s see what eguavon can do. At least he did something to make Moses did what he did at afcon.
I have missed you here @GLORY. Like POMPEI, I may not always agree but I love the simplicity and openess with which you always make your points. In most of my posts, that’s what I always echo; OSIMHEN was the MISSING link for me. Eagles dominated all their matches but kept MISSING gilt edged chances…not because AWONIYI and Co were not proven goalscorers, but because it was their first competitions and was their first STARTS! Even the great YEKINI struggled in 1984 and Maroc 88 before he discovered his scoring boots in 1990!.’
They (AWONIYI & UMAR: would have come good had we navigate theto TUNISIAN hurdle.
Let NFF do all in their power to get all our best legs ready gor GHANA…VM must be convinced. He doesnt just hug the touchlines like MOSES SIMON and CHUZZY, he roves; ADEMOLA LOOKMAN is a better dead ball specialist than all the players we currently havehave. We need him. Then we need that agile and great ball distributor of a keeper; ADELEYE
Of course VO9 hopefully stays fit.
Nigeria will fly into QATAR
Brilliant submission @ CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES. @AYPHILLY wrote something simikar YESTERDAY which was in agreement with my position too.
@Ben likes writing trash most times. Was it not your OYINBO world class coach who refused to invite top 5 players so they can blend easily with the team?’ YOU Must ne very confused and self contradictory. Was it not ROHR who keptis inviting COLLINS….Div 2 at the expense of BASSEY?
Was it not him who stuck to SHEHU at the detriment of JOEL OBI (because he had a bad game against ENGLAND after recovering from an injury induced lay off of over 6 months)?
Was it not ROHR who wentI for, a SUNDAY SUNDAY League player in IGHALO at the detriment of top 5 league AWONIYI??
Was it not ROHR who preferred TURKEY based AHMED MUSA to WATFORD’s Emma Dennis?
Was it not ROHR who preferred to play Turkish based AWAZIEM at right back at the detriment of Seria A Aina??
So what rubbish are you spewing here???
Well said, Mahmud Shuaib.
We need Lookman, Ejaria, and Victor Moses. These 3 lads will add some serious value to the team. NFF should pull out all the stops to try and convince VM to come out of retirement. They should also do everything possible to complete the switch of Lookman and Ejaria before our March games.
Dessers and Amoo are also there. They can bring something to the table if given a chance.
I also want to see more options in the goalkeeping department. Let’s see Adeleye, Osigwe, Tobias Lawal (if he’s still available). We need reliable hands between our sticks.
We will do well in Qatar if we make these needed adjustments.
Just be brandishing player’s name everywhere as if those players are that good. They are still average player not doubt about it. Those who you mentioned before the Nation’s cup how do the fare? So Awoniyi and Sadiq that you are shouting up and down that they scoring in Germany and Spain are not good again? Thought you said they will score loads of goals and win us the competition. You people have still not learn you think Lukman and Ejiara can cope with the rigour of Africa football and be an instant hit like that? Victor Mosses ko Mosses Simon ni mtcccheeew..
Apart from tactics, the big problem we had at the Afcon was WASTEFULNESS IN FRONT OF GOAL.
In fact, I will put that ahead of tactics as the main reason we failed.
Even with poor tactics, a team that creates chances and converts a good number of those chances is still tough to beat.
In all our games, even against Tunisia, we created chances.
In the game we won against Egypt, we missed so many chances! Egypt could have collected 4 or 5 that day, with better finishing. The missed chances did not cost us at the group stages, but we paid dearly for it against Tunisia.
If we had a Rashidi Yekini in the team, someone who converts 50% or more of chances that come their way, I have no doubt that we would have won this trophy.
Agreed, Okoye did not exactly cover himself in glory at the Afcon. However, Okoye’s error did not cost us the trophy. If we had converted the numerous chances that came our way, nobody will be talking about Okoye today. Indeed, we need a reliable goalie, as it appears Okoye continues to struggle with the responsibility, but even if we had Pumpido, Enyeama, Buffon, or even Yashin in our goal, if we are not converting the chances that come our way, we will still end up empty handed.
Unfortunately, our boys are so timid and unadventurous in front of goal. Hardly do you see players trying shots from distance. They do very well to create space and chances, but fall short at accomplishing the most important thing – PUTTING THE BALL IN THE NET.
Creating chances was never the problem of this team, under Rohr and now under Eguavoen.
The problem has always been the low conversion rate of chances created.
If Eguavoen can work on getting the team to convert just 30% of the chances they create, I can almost guarantee you that this team will comfortably make the quarter finals of the upcoming world cup. They might even achieve more than that.
But if we continue to be wasteful in front of goal, then even getting past Ghana might be a tall order.
This is football. Goals win matches. We need to be more ruthless, more potent, in front of goal.
This in my opinion is what should be on top of Eguavoen’s to do list.
@Mashab @ pompei thanks for your comments. We missed chances. Plenty of them. I am happy that we created them. We can take it to the next level against Ghana and in the future.
@Christian Ministries, I am a great lover of our football history. There are many lessons for us there if we decide to study it.
Yekini played for Viktoria Setubal in Greece which at that time was quite a good league as compared to Dutch football.
As for Amunike in Zamalek who was mostly used as a Super Sub under Westerhof. Abi have you forgotten.
The league’s Super Eagles played them were still dominant back then. Belgium, Germany, Spain Holland.
Go and check your history books and the evolution of football properly. Back then, Ajax in Holland was a force to reckon with.
It is in the last 10 – 20 years that club football changed to England, Spain, Germany and Italian club teams dominating club football.
For Mahmud Shuaib, please tell us when did Bassey get on our national radar to be capped as a player for Super Eagles.
Is it not in the last 2 years or was his name prominent when Rohr was appointed as a coach for Super Eagles???
So in your fountain of wisdom, because you see a new player somewhere, you stop inviting an old reliable player who delivers???
What wisdom. According to your wisdom Mahmud Shuaib, the 3 lions of Englqnd have over 60 players they monitor, so because they monitor them, they should be invited to the 3 Lions camp.
That’s why I keep saying some people here are just idiots opening their mouths without thinking to spew rubbish.
Any and every coach will choose the players he wants despite what the fans think or what the players club performance is.
But Nigerians haven’t learnt that lesson yet. It is in their anuses they believe that there is some gold that needs to be covered.
Talking as if it is not your people that are clamouring for the inclusion of Musa and Shehu in Super Eagles by threatening Pinnick with fake corruption issues with EFCC.
Is Joel Obi in your wisdom performing today at his clubside???
You this northern isi-ewu, cattle rustler like you looking to gain some fame.
Please answer my questions with factual evidence o.
Ben. You are indeed a great historian. Victoria setubal in Greece???? I laugh. It’s in Portugal. He started out playing second division football. Amunike mostly used as suoer sub??? I laugh again. Did you watch USA 94 at all?
At afcon 1994, he did not use as suoer sub. He only used him in the final and he played from the start.
And you said Belgium and Greek league were dominant in Europe???? I laugh again. Can you tell us what any club from the two countries won in Europe then. Ben the historian. I laugh my brother.
When you know too much Victoria Setubal of Greece. Playing in division 2. I shake my head.Sometimes some guys just come here for cheap publicity
Such exposure of ignorance. Clearly not a football scholar.
And the temerity to be insultive though without any foundation of knowledge! This are the same guys clamouring for rohr; this explains a lot.
People who insult others without any cause are compensating with such abusive behaviour due to their lack of knowledge.
@ Golden child. That’s what you see on forums like this.
@ Ben pls make it point without insultive words, no matter how good your point is, you could jeopardise it with bad manners. Let be culture and mature with our word. No matter what the deed has been done, and our coaches are paid for their job, no matter the critics you can’t satisfy everyone as same time he who wear the shoes knows where it itches. Good day.
@Hubert don’t mind @Ben. It’s the Nigerian pressure. Situation in Nigeria make people become bwhat they Re not.ben is a good guy. But he will do well if does not abuse during his post. There are guys here who have not abused even when they are abused – that’s top class maturity.
Anyway @ben you have not replied to my comment – you said setubal is in Greece…you are wrong – it’s Portugal.
Rasheed yekinini once played in the second division for setubal in Portugal. Check the records. Have a great day.
Otondo… @Ben. Victria Setubal of Greece. This is the worm who knows nothing… but comes here to insult people with solid knowledge of football.
See as you guys line up beginning to lay claim. Because I said Viktoria Setubal was in Greece. Ok,it is Portugal. I admit. Am not some lunatic like JimmyBall that will be lying up and down on CSN about facts.
For Golden Child, since you have decided to join the charade, welcome.
I still stand on the fact. Belgian football was dominant back in 1994. Club Brugge was a force to reckon with.
That was where Amokachi played before transferring to Everton.
That is still the fact. Amunike was regarded as a Super Sub even under Westerhof.
At Tunisia 1994 he was injured mostly during the tournament and could only feature in the final of that tournament.
He was not a regular starter.
As for my point @Christian Ministries, back then Portugal, Holland, Belgium clubs were clearly ahead the rest of Europe.
I stand by that statement.
@Christian Ministries, here is your data dump from Google of teams from Belgium that have played n UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_in_Belgium#:~:text=UEFA%20Champions%20League,-The%20following%20teams&text=Anderlecht%20(12%20times%3A%201993%E2%80%93,Standard%20Li%C3%A8ge%20(2009%E2%80%9310)
@Christian Ministries here again your data dump on Dutch teams to have won UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
@Ben, you are wrong again. Amuneke was not injured at afcon 94. It was at Atalanta 96 that he was nursing injuries.
At afcon he was just breaking into a team that had yekinini, amokachi, siasia, ikpeba etc as suoer regulars. Westehof coulddo without using him in the tournament. You giifed again. Amuneke was not injured at afcon 1994. It was at Atlanta 96. I want to believe you mixed it up.
Hard luck Cameron you are bunch of idiots chasing a dream to win AFCON, It is our championship. History wise.
Cheer up, Indomitable Lions! At least you did better than the Super Eagles
@Christian Ministries here again, your list of Greek teams to have participated in UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_football_clubs_in_European_competitions
If na like, cough blood because I posted that Viktoria Setubal was in Greece rather than Portugal.
Others like JimmyBall the Liar has said worse things here. Even claiming he can decode that I am Dr.Drey.
Even Golden Child Sef. Line up on my head for misplacing club information.
I am waiting for your answers o, @Christian Ministries. Please state the matches that Amunike played under Westerhoff for 90 mins before Tunisia 1994 and during Tunisia 1994.
@Christian Ministries, I am waiting on your data dump on the amount of matches that Amunike played full time under Westerhof before and during Tunisia 1994 o.
It is not about saying Lol, that you will use to debunk my claim. Please state your facts here that is verifiable.
After all, I have shown you mine on Club football and leagues dominating Europe even before 1994 sef.
@Ben, I like this. You are becoming respectful with your comment. Now I can read your comment better.
1. How many Greek clubs won any European championship. Greece was never topmost league in Europe.
2. I am happy you agreed goofed by saying setubal was in Greece. Niw I cango back to the main point – Rasheed yekinini played in second division for setubal in Portugal and was still a class player.
3. The contention was that I said you don’t have to be in top 5 leagues to be. A class player. That was when you said Rasheed played in setubal Greece.
4. On amunike, you said he was a super sub for eagles and i said that was not true. Maybe you don’t know when we call a player a suoer sub. I gave you instances that at afcon 94 his first major tournament, he never played as a suoer sub. He played only one match and he started. At USA 94, his second tournament, he never played as a suoer sub, he started all our matches.
5. Let me tell you more about amunike and eagles. Westehof then had three level teams – first one consist of the main players like keshi, eguavon, yekinini, amokachi, siaisa etc they were the one who prosecuted our work cup qualifiers then. Now in order to give other emerging players the chnace to break into the team, he had a second team consisting of players who are emerging in Europe and some African countries. That was how the likes amunike and oliseh came in. Their first match was against Ethiopia in Nigeria, an afcon qualifier because westehof was using this second team with a sprinkle of one or two first team players to prosecute afcon qualifiers. Amunike started in that match and the same with oliseh. That made them to be promoted to the first team to understudy them. At this stage we were at an advanced stage of world qualifier so there was no way amuneke was doin a suoer sub role as you claimed. The reason he had to sit on the bench at afcon 1994 until the final. Now the third team comoriaed of hime based players who were used to prosecute exowas cuo matches and wafu cup. Players like Iroha, and finidi came to limelight from there. Finidi joined ajax straight from Nigeria even before breaking into the first team.
5. Amuneke was good and was a class player but he was never in any top 5 leagues. I am just going back to where we started..
I don’t rely on links this one is personal experience my brother. I was a very close observer of eagles in those days.
So my brother can you tell us any match amuneke played as a suoer sub for eagles.
@Christian Ministries, let me help you Since its taking time. Here is Amunike statistics as player especially during Tunisia 1994.
I hope you will learn here. He was always on the bench and never a regular starter under Westerhof
Again I said it was Tunisia 1994. I am not bothered about his World Cup performance. As at Tunisia 1994, Amunike was regarded as a Super Sub. I have proven it with my facts that I have submitted.
He was on the bench and did not feature until the last match.
Again if you have seen the link I posted you would have seen your answers of Greek Clubs dominating UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.
Or sorry,do you think the word “dominating” means they won the UEFA CHAMPIONS League???
I believe That’s where your problem starts from. Contextual grammar. Anyway check the links out for your education.
Plus if anyone comments in a daft way to any thread without reason, he will get his response the way he deserves it, because he is clearly not reasoning including that cattle rustler Mahmud Shuaib.
You think this is the first time he has said I speak rubbish. Please am waiting for you flto deny my links that they are not true @Christian Ministries
Ben. You are mixing it up. You just said the same thing I said before. Read my previous comment in amunike and afcon 94.
Maybe I should define what suoer sub is for you.
A suoer sub is a player who consistently come in to a match and oerfom the magic. For us to call him a suoer sub, he has to do it consistently for some matches.
I did not know of any time, amunike was like that for eagles. I showed you already in previous comment how he broke Into eagles.
Even at afcon 94, he was not a suoer sub. He played from the strat in the only match he played.
Can you tell us the matches he played as a suoer sub. I want to learn sir.
One more thing: I don’t need google to tell about eagles of westehof days.
I once wrote a report about how westehof built that team. That guy, though not a very sound tactician (Bonfree Jo) did the tactical and technical side for him), but he was as very wise and sound administrator and manager of players.
@Christian Ministries, once again. Check the links. During AFCON 1994, Amunike was on the bench because he was injured before the final but was still carried along to that tournament.
Though I haven’t seen that information yet on the web. When I do I will share it with you. He was regarded as a Super Sub, but here is a Twitter post to confirm what I said about Amunike being a Super Sub
https://mobile.twitter.com/paduasportsng/status/1271085011220004865
It is funny that you dont want to use Google links to verify your statement. Then how do you prove that you know what you are saying.
Is it by posting theories without evidence that is a proper way to argue???
You are wrong. I know Amunike very well. He was not injured at Tunisia 94. He had a misunderstanding with Westerhof and Western of decided to punish by keeping him on the bench. It was after pleadings from other team mates that made Westerhof field him in the final. That apart, Amunike was not a Super Sub in 1994. He was a Super sub st Atlanta 96.