ACTUALITE |
14.01.2022
AFCON 2021: Vincent Aboubakar head and shoulders above Africa’s elite in Golden Boot race
Cameroon came from behind to thrash Ethiopia 4-1 thanks to a brace each from Karl Toko Ekambi and notable Vincent Aboubakar.
Those goals took Aboubakar’s tally up to four which is double what the next best player –Toko Ekambi with two goals – has managed.
Besides those two Cameroonians, no other player (in fact, no other country) has scored more than once at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.
In the last 11 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, no player has scored more than five goals in any tournament. The five-goal duck has been in effect since 1998, and even though it was expected that the barrier would be surpassed in this edition of the AFCON, Vincent Aboubakar was not one of those most thought would do it.
World-class players like Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane of Egypt and Senegal respectively were the obvious candidates to smash the five-goal barrier, but they have one goal between them after a game each.
There is no denying Aboubakar’s quality though, especially with his heroics at the 2017 AFCON where he scored in the final to help Cameroon clinch the title, and his performances in previous years with Porto. But even at the peak of his powers, Aboubakar could never have been described as world-class.
And yet somehow here he is, nine days to his 30th birthday, now playing for Al Nassr in the Saudi Arabian league and outscoring Africa’s most prolific players on the grandest stage in a tournament many did not even expect him to start.
With four goals already in the first two games, Vincent Aboubakar only needs two more goals in the next potential five games (depending on how far Cameroon get) to become the highest scorer in a single AFCON tournament since 1998.
In fact, his current average is two goals per game which means it is not inconceivable for him to score twice again in Cameroon’s next game.
The Indomitable Lions will play against Cape Verde in the final game of Group A on Monday, 17th of January, which presents Aboubakar with the opportunity to put even more daylight between himself and the chasing pack.
Being the penalty taker for Cameroon has worked to Aboubakar’s advantage, but it goes beyond that. Cameroon’s system of play is designed for the centre-forwards to score, breaking forward on the wings at a high pace and putting the ball into dangerous areas for Aboubakar to attack.
It is also possible that Aboubakar has knowledge of the record and will be doing his best to attain it in the next game, which is not good news for Cape Verde.
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