ACTUALITE |
26.01.2002
Mboma sends Cameroon into Nations Cup last eight
SIKASSO
Patrick Mboma fired Cameroon into the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup here Friday with a crucial late goal to give his side a 1-0 Group C win over Ivory Coast.
African footballer of the year Mboma capped a happy week which saw him become a father for the fourth time when he leapt to meet an 85th-minute corner with a firm downward header that flew into the Ivorian net.
Parma star Mboma, who has been compared to the `Indomitable Lions` legendary Roger Milla, was mobbed by team-mates after rescuing his team with his second goal of the tournament.
Mboma was only confirmed to start in the Cameroon line up late in the week after recovering from a stomach bug.
The Ivory Coast were left cursing their luck after dominating the second half and coming closest to scoring only minutes earlier when Didier Zokora`s header was athletically parried off the line by Cameroon keeper Alioum Bakar.
Cameroon had been on top through most of the first half, registering six attempts on goal while their opponents failed to manage a single clear scoring opportunity.
Former West Ham defender Marc Vivien-Foe looked threatening from set-pieces for Cameroon, twice advancing forward to connect with headers which both went wide.
Real Mallorca striker Samuel Eto`o and Mboma showed good movement in attack, Eto`o going closest to scoring with a 20-yard swerving shot which missed narrowly.
Ivory Coast`s best player was Tunisia-based forward Kader Keita, who made one or two darting runs into Cameroon territory.
Keita was controversially booked midway through the first half, Egyptian referee El-Ghandour Gamal judging the forward to have dived after receiving a strong challenge from Cameroon skipper Rigobert Song on the edge of the penalty area.
Two other Ivory Coast players were also cautioned in the opening 45 minutes.
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