TheCable

IT’S STALEMATE BETWEEN CAMEROON AND MALI

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon fought back and salvaged a point against Mali thanks to right-back Ambroise Oyongo 84th minute equaliser in their Orange Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) opening game.

Sambou Yabatare had given Mali the lead in the 71st minute and the strike looked to have won them all three points but Oyongo late finish ensured honours were shared.

Mali thought they had won the game late on when Yatabare’s header from a free-kick into the box in the 90th minute found its way into the net but he was flagged down for off-side.

And it’s now all to play for in Group D as all the teams are levelled on one point following Cote d’Ivoire’s 1-1 draw with Guinea.

Line-up

Cameroon: Ebogo, Nkoulou, Loe, Bitolo, Moukanbdjo, Aboubakar, Salli, Henri, Choupo-Moting, Enoh, Cheudjou.

Mali: S. Diakite, Tamboure, Coulibaly, M. Yatabare, Sylla, Sako, Keita, S. Yatabare, D. Diakite, N’diaye, Wague.

DOUMBIA RESCUES POINT FOR ELEPHANTS

Cote d’Ivoire were spared the ignominy of losing their first 2015 Orange Africa Cup of Nations match after substitute Seydou Doumbia rescued a point for 10-man Elephants to draw 1-1 with Guinea in Malabo.

The CSKA Moscow forward finished off a link-up play with Wilfried Bony 18 minutes from the end of their Group D encounter.

The 1992 champions were considered the favourites going into this game but Guinea were not aware of the script as Mohamed Yattara scored eight minutes before the end of the first half.

And their hopes of taking anything from the game were seriously compromised when Gervinho was shown a straight red card early in the second half following a clash in the Guinea penalty area that left Naby Keita down requiring treatment.

The Elephants were reduced to 10 men after Gervinho was shown a straight red card following an altercation with Naby Keita. And any hope of getting something out of the game looked impossible.

Bu coach Herve Renard dug deep and his substitution paid off after Doumbia, who replaced Salomon Kalou, got the equaliser to salvage a point for his side.

Line-up

Cote d’Ivoire: Gbohouo, K. Toure, Kalou, Tiote, Yao, Bony, Aurier, Y. Toure, Serey, Bailly, Kanon.

Guinea: N. Yattara, M. Yattara, Sylla, Pogba, Camara, Traore, Constant, Conte, Keita, Fofana, Sankoh.

DAY 5 FIXTURES

JANUARY 21

Group A

Equatorial Guinea v Burkina Faso

Gabon v Congo

AFCON NEWS!

WE HAD THE MEANS TO BEAT GUINEA, SAYS RENARD

Cote d’Ivoire coach, Herve Renard, has chided his team for not taking their chances in the 1-1 draw with Guinea.

The Elephants came from behind to equalise but Renard said they were not clinical enough even as he expects his side to advance to the next round.

“In the first half we would have deserved to take the lead. We hit the crossbar by Gervinho. We gave them the first goal with a communication gap in our defence. Then we tried to push but it was not easy with the sending off of Gervinho,” he said.

The coach said that despite the loss of Gervinho he believed they still had a chance to win the game.

“We had to react and change something tactically. I am convinced that even at 10 against 11 we had the means to win this match. We are a team under rebuilding and Guinea have been competitive during the qualifiers and are not a side to be underestimated.”

TOURE: WE WERE A BIT CLUMSY

Cote d’Ivoire captain, Yaya Toure, has said that they were a bit clumsy for conceding a goal in the first half against Guinea in their Group D Africa Cup of Nations match on Tuesday night.

The Manchester City midfielder, who recently won the African Player of the Year for the fourth time in a row, said he knew that the tournament was never going to be easy.

“We knew that AFCON was not an easy tournament. We have been a bit clumsy in the first half but we had a good reaction,” said Toure.

With Gervinho unavailable for the next two games after being shown a red card, Toure said they still have 23 quality players to get them through the next round.

“Doumbia coming in made the difference. We have 23 quality players. I hope that the next game will go our way. We still have a chance to qualify,” he said.

MASHABA: BAFANA WILL BOUNCE BACK

South Africa coach, Shakes Mashaba, has said the team was disappointed with their 3-1 loss to Algeria, but he urged them not to despair.

With two group games still to play the coach said his side will bounce back.

“We gave the game away. The best team lost after we created so many scoring opportunities in the first half,” he said.

“We allowed them back into the match and we got punished. Lift your heads up because it is not over yet Ä there are still six points to play for.

“We have a mountain to climb but we are still confident that we will do well in our next match.”

Bafana squandered a one-goal lead, missing a penalty and scoring an own-goal which allowed Algeria back into the game.

And Mashaba said they were lucky.

“Algeria was lucky to come back, and we had already lost focus when they clawed their way back,” Mashaba said.

“We still have two games to go. We need to motivate the boys and bring them to their feet because understandably they are dejected.

“We lost our way at crucial times and the goals we let in were soft goals. The result has made our work more difficult because the remaining two games are must-wins.”

Team captain, Dean Furman, admitted it was not the kind of start they had wanted.

“We had worked hard for maximum points so the next two games are very crucial for us,” Furman said.

“We have to lift our heads and go for a win and that’s all we need. The good thing is that we played some outstanding football out there. We are just very disappointed not to come out with a win.

“We really played very well but did not convert our chances, something we will have to rectify before our next match.”

Their next game is against Senegal on Friday in Mongomo.

QUALIFICATION IS NOT YET A GUARANTEE, SAYS GIRESSE

Senegal coach, Alain Giresse, has said that his side 2-1 victory over Ghana in their Group C clash on Monday does not guarantee qualification to the knock-out stage.

Senegal came from behind after Ghana’s Andrew Ayew scored a first-half penalty after Christian Atsu had been fouled.

Despite this win, Giresse said it is not a guarantee that they have qualified to the next stage.

“To take the three points is always better but it doesn’t guarantee our qualification, like Ghana’s defeat doesn’t guarantee their elimination. There are two games remaining. We managed to turn in the required efforts in the second half, it is an encouraging sign,” he said.

Giresse also revealed what turned the tide in his team’s favour.

“At half time I told the players that all were not lost as long as we get our football back. As soon as we were behind with 45 minutes remaining, we never doubted and came back onto the pitch with the determination to play better.”

‘BLACK STARS FORGOT TO USE EXPERIENCE’

Ghana captain, Asamoah Gyan, is disappointed at the team’s inability to employ ‘their experience’ to at least snatch a point from Senegal on Monday.

The Teranga Lions mounted pressure on the Black Stars in search of the winning goal and were rewarded with a late winner after having levelled the score line before the hour mark in the game.

“I am disappointed. It got to a time we should have used our experience because they were putting pressure on us and we needed a draw because honestly they took control of the game in the last 30 minutes and we should have held on. It’s part of football but still very disappointing,” he told AllSports Ghana website.

Gyan missed out on the game after contracting malaria which prevented him from training for three days but says he feels better now.

“I am feeling much better and I am talking to the medical team. Hopefully we will see improvements,” he added.

Ghana face Algeria in their next match.