Cameroon will clash with the Super Eagles of Nigeria this Saturday in the Round of 16 of the 2023 AFCON. Ahead of this match, Patrick Mboma discussed Vincent Aboubakar, the star striker of the Indomitable Lions, who has yet to play a single minute since the start of the competition.
Will we finally see Vincent Aboubakar play his first match or get his first minutes in this 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations this Saturday? That’s the big question surrounding the Cameroon selection as they prepare to face the Eagles of Nigeria in a heated qualifying match for the quarterfinals of the AFCON 2023. Injured a few days before the start of the competition, the Besiktas player is reported to be back in the group in the last few hours. On Friday night, he indeed participated in the team’s final training session. For many Cameroonians, the possibility of seeing Vincent Aboubakar take his place against the Nigerians sparks euphoria. However, Patrick Mboma tempered expectations.
“I don’t know if Song will include him in the list of 23”
According to the former scorer of the Cameroonian national team (1995-2004, 55 matches for 33 goals), the presence of Vincent Aboubakar is not guaranteed. In the After Foot show on RMC Sport on Friday night, live from Ivory Coast, Mboma confirms the return of the top scorer of the 2021 AFCON to the group but remains doubtful about his form, which does not guarantee his presence on the matchday squad.
“He’s doing better. The truth is that today he trained with the group. It’s the first time he’s with the group. Yesterday (Thursday), he was still trying out accelerations… What I saw is that he wants to play. What I also know is that he’s someone who hasn’t touched the ball in 15 days, so it will be difficult for him to claim many minutes. Since we’re in a single-elimination phase, it could go beyond 90 minutes. If it’s decided after 90 minutes, we can say if he can come in at the 70th or 75th minute, that’s one thing, but if it has to go further, it’s another matter. I don’t have Rigobert Song’s secret; I don’t know if he’ll include him in the 23, but in any case, he is on his feet,” said the former winner of the AFCON in 2000 and 2002.
The importance of Vincent Aboubakar
Since the start of AFCON 2023, Cameroon has struggled to score. Despite the talent in Rigobert Song’s team, the position of a great scorer like Vincent Aboubakar has remained vacant. Against Nigeria, which has towering defenders, the 31-year-old forward would simply be the perfect focal point around which young players like Nkoudou, Toko Ekambi, and others can revolve and pose a threat. But with Patrick Mboma not even seeing the player in the starting eleven against Nigeria, don’t expect much this Saturday.
Moreover, in the press conference on Friday, Rigobert Song did not want to clearly state whether his forward would be in the squad. Will there be a last-minute surprise in Cameroon’s lineup? Everything is possible with Song, who surprised many in the match against Gambia by benching André Onana. It should be noted that the match this Saturday will be fiercely contested, and one must be well-prepared to keep up with the pace. The best will win and advance to the quarterfinals; that’s for sure.
Do you think Vincent Aboubakar will play against Nigeria?
Leave a Reply