The expectation coming into this game was that both nations would be quite conservative, with Ghana being the ones to really get after it due to their respective positions in the group. In the end it was an encounter that failed to really live up to expectations, with both Cameroon and Ghana living to fight another day.
Here we go again
Cameroon are the reigning champions and are expected to go deep into the tournament, whereas their opposition are a shadow of the team they once were back in 2010. During that year they were just moments away from a place in the semi-finals of the Wolrd Cup, whereas this time around, they find themselves scrambling as they continue to try and force themselves back into a position of relevancy.
Christian Bassogog was denied by Richard Ofori as Cameroon went closest in the first half, to the point where it really did seem like they were going to take control of the game. They didn t quite manage to do so, though, and they were left trying to find their rhythm.
Finding the answers
Late on it actually seemed as if Ghana would be the ones to get the three points on the board, as Owusu Kwabena struck the crossbar and Andrew Yiadom went close to opening the scoring. In the end, however, it ll be Cameroon who are the happier of the two nations, whereas Ghana will be forced to go back to the drawing board. They re still in an okay spot, but they ll have to scratch and claw in their final group stage game if they want to make it through.
Cameroon will now move on to face Benin in what should be a pretty interesting final group stage game, with Ghana going head to head with Guinea-Bissau. The beauty of the Africa Cup of Nations tends to be the unpredictability attached to the tournament, and that really has never been more evident than it is right now. The standard big nations are being forced into a situation where they need to wake up and smell the coffee, because despite not performing as consistently well on the world stage, Africa is back.
Match Report
Cameroon: Onana (7), Bong (6.5), Ngadeu-Ngadjui (7.5), Kana-Biyik (6), Oyongo (6.5), Anguissa (7), Mandjeck (6), Fai (6.5), N Jie (7), Ekambi (6.5), Bassogog (6.5), Kunde (6), Bahoken (6), Choupo-Moting (6)
Ghana: Ofori (7), Yiadom (7), Mensah (7.5), Adams (7.5), Baba (6.5), Partey (7.5), Wakaso (7), Atsu (6), Ayew (7.5), Asamoah (6.5), Ayew (7), Kwabena (6.5), Owusu (6.5), Gyan (6)
Referee: Bamlak Tessema Weyesa
Goals: N/A
Yellow Cards: Adams
Red Cards: N/A
