Cameroon has a final opportunity to salvage their AFCON 2023 campaign and is likely to require a victory against Gambia at Stade de Bouaké on Matchday 3 to stand a chance of progressing to the round of 16.
With just one point from their initial two Group C games, drawing with Guinea and losing to Senegal, the 2017 AFCON champions must secure a win to avoid elimination from the tournament.
Goalkeeper André Onana, who recently joined the squad in Ivory Coast, missed Cameroon’s opening match against Guinea due to prior commitments with Manchester United. There’s a possibility he may return to England without having played a game for his club unless the Indomitable Lions advance.
Despite a late goal from Jean-Charles Castelletto in their 3-1 defeat to Senegal on Match Day 2, Cameroon, led by Rigobert Song, faced a challenging loss. The defeat put them at a 2-1 disadvantage before Sadio Mané sealed the victory for Senegal deep into stoppage time.
This upcoming match marks the second encounter between Gambia and Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations, following their clash in the quarter-finals of the 2022 edition, where Cameroon emerged victorious with a 2-0 win, courtesy of two goals from Karl Toko-Ekambi.
Gambia has struggled against Cameroon in previous meetings, losing all three encounters in various competitions, failing to score a goal and conceding five.
After starting their AFCON journey unbeaten in the first four games (W3 D1) and scoring in each match, Gambia has faced three consecutive losses in the competition without finding the back of the net.
