Shameful Elimination: Cameroon Media Tears Indomitable Lions After AFCON Exit

It was a gloomy day at the office for Cameroon. There is an argument that the Indomitable Lions have not been convincing and deserved what they got –meaning their elimination by Nigeria came as no surprise. This is the reaction of some media outlets in the Central African nation in the wake of the 2002 and 2017 African Cup of Nations winners’ exit in the ongoing events in Cairo.

Ex-Watford goal-getter Odion Jude Ighalo started what later turned frenzy in a five-goal-thriller, converting Chelsea loanee Kenneth Omero’s provider in the 19^th minute.

Stephane Bakhonen evened it for the lions with a quick follow-up to stab home before Clinton N’Jie outmuscled Olaluwa Aina –another Chelsea product –to tap past Akpeyi in goal for The Super Eagles for a 2-1 score.

Gaffer Gernot Rohr’s future has been up in the balance with the media calling for his head after their shocking demolition by minnows Madagascar.

Nigeria vs Cameroon is one of the thrilling rivalries on the continent.  The two sides have met twenty-two times before Saturday’s knockout combat and considering such duels never lacked ecstasy, last weekend’s meeting did not disappoint too.

Comebacks were launched and Nigeria led it with Ighalo scoring a brace, taking him to the top of the top scoring charts with Sadio Mane, both at three goals each.

Chidozie Awazeim latched in a cross which Ahmed Musa chested for a waiting Ighalo to bomb home. The stage was set by this time as the Super Eagles made their intentions known to reach the quarters. Musa intercepted a pass then fed it to Ighalo who spread it to Arsenal’s Iwobi to poke beyond the goalkeeper’s reach.

Onana, lying in a heap in the pitch in sheer disbelief in the aftermath of the duel, explained the mood in the Cameroon camp. They arrived in Egypt still to recover from CAF’s decision to strip them of the AFCON hosting rights and are now headed home with nothing to show for and the title they had come to defend.

The reaction of the media in Yaounde hasn’t been a pleasant one with back pages bitter over the exit.

Cameroon Foot describes events of Saturday as a “shameful elimination – a permanent trial and error,” and appeared to heap the blame on Clarence Seedorf for failing to find a solid format and using three different systems in each of the Indomitable Lions’ previous games beginning with the stalemates with Ghana and Benin.

Jounal de Cameroon were a little lenient in their assessment and game report while the National Times went mute about it.