Africa-Press – Rwanda. Wednesday
Group F: Cameroon Vs Gabon
Kick-off: 10:00 pm CAT
Questions remain over the availability of Gabon captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for their Group F opener against Cameroon on Wednesday at Stade Adrar in Agadir, Morocco.
The veteran Marseille striker is racing against time to regain full fitness after suffering a thigh injury in the build-up to the Panthers’ Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Aubameyang joined the team’s training camp on Monday and immediately began an individual conditioning programme. His recovery is being closely monitored by Marseille physiotherapist Youssef Rahou.
The player’s camp believes he may not be fit in time to face Cameroon, although head coach Thierry Mouyouma played down the concerns.
“We will see tomorrow (Wednesday) how he feels and then decide whether he can start or not,” Mouyouma told reporters.
Historically, Cameroon have held the upper hand in recent meetings, recording two wins in the last five encounters, while Gabon have claimed one victory and one match ended in a draw. However, the Panthers are unbeaten in their last two AFCON clashes against the Indomitable Lions, adding extra intrigue to the fixture.
Five-time African champions Cameroon are traditionally among the tournament favourites, but they arrive at this AFCON after a turbulent period marked by internal tensions between FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto’o and former Belgian coach Marc Brys, which unsettled the squad.
Eto’o’s re-election as FECAFOOT president and the appointment of new head coach David Pagou appear to have restored calm and stability within the camp.
“The mindset is positive. I like this kind of challenge. Whenever a major competition approaches, the adrenaline rises,” Pagou said during his pre-match press conference.
The new coach has made bold decisions, leaving out experienced players such as goalkeeper André Onana and captain and all-time top scorer Vincent Aboubakar. Instead, he is placing his trust in youth and emerging talent, including players like Bryan Mbeumo, as symbols of a new era.
Gabon, meanwhile, arrive with confidence following strong AFCON and World Cup qualifying campaigns. The Panthers narrowly missed out on direct World Cup qualification after finishing second, just one point behind Ivory Coast, before losing to Nigeria in the African playoffs.
That run has strengthened belief within the squad and fuelled their ambition to make history.
Ahead of the Cameroon clash, Mouyouma made his intentions clear: “A derby is not played, it is won. For us, it’s imperative to start the competition well. Given the history and closeness between the two countries, this kind of match is highly motivating.”
Gabon are determined to go further than in previous editions, with a clear objective of breaking their quarter-final barrier and reaching the semi-finals for the first time in their history.
Other fixtures:
Group F
7:30pm CAT: Cote d’Ivoire Vs Mozambique
Group E
2:30pm CAT: Burkina Faso Vs Equatorial Guinea
5:00pm CAT: Algeria Vs Sudan
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