ACTUALITE |
19.09.2006
U-17 African Championship: C.A.R. Humbles Cameroon
The Under-17 Lions yesterday in Yaounde succumbed to their Central African counterparts, 0 — 1.
The U-17 Lions started off their eliminatories for the 7th African football Championships to take place next year in Togo very badly. Coach Mbella Fritz’s boys could not stand the wrath of a technically superior and organized Central African squad yesterday in their first round eliminatory match. The U-17 Lions, who were exempted from the preliminary round that ended in July, bowed to the Low-Ubangui Fawns, 0 — 1.
The encounter at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, played under very bright weather in the presence of enthusiastic fans of the Central African team, was dominated by the visitors. The Low-Ubangui Fawns, who travelled from Bangui to Yaounde by road, started the match forcefully, missing scoring opportunities from the first minute of the encounter. They mounted pressure on Cameroon through out the first half as could be seen in their ball possession and attempts at the Cameroonian goal. Luckily for Cameroon, goalkeeper Bandeukeu Henri was alert and succeeded to save all the shots at his goal. The Cameroonian players on the other hand were weak, lacked cohesion in their play style and excelled in untargeted passes. The midfield was docile; so too was the attack. Most spectators, dumbfounded by the low quality of play of Cameroonians, wondered aloud if the stumpy showing was because the boys did not have enough time to train together or an indication that the team was not good at all?
The second half was simply a replica of the first with Central Africans once more setting the pace. Their efforts paid off at the 63rd minute when Forward, Hilaire Momi, drove the ball neatly into the net. All attempts by Cameroon to equalise failed as the team thrived in inconsistencies in their play style. Central African goally, Osman Tanko, was never put to test as few balls entered his area. The U-17 Lions were booed by enraged fans as they left the pitch heads down.
The 0 — 1 defeat puts Cameroon in a very difficult situation. Cameroon must beat the Central Africans (with at least two goals) in the return match which takes place in a month’s time to move on to the second and final eliminatory round of the competition.
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Hits: 1 | Source:cameroon-tribune.cm | |
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