Between Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea and Gambia, who is the favorite, the outsider, the scratchy hair and the little thumb of Group C? Elements of response and analysis with Eric Mamruth. “CAN 2024 under the microscope” is a video series from the RFI sports department: the 24 participating nations presented group by group.
4 mins
Senegal
Finally African champion, on February 6, 2022 against Egypt, Senegal will defend its crown for the first time. A new status as holder of the trophy is not necessarily easy to assume for the Aliou Cissé gang. Firstly because she is two years older, with several thirty-somethings in her ranks. Many executives have, moreover, chosen to leave for the Gulf, Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Habib and Abdou Diallo and, of course, Sadio Mané who left the rough Bundesliga for the supposedly weaker Saudi championship.
Will their competitiveness be affected during thisCAN 2024? With this golden exile, has their lion’s appetite diminished? The recent and laborious 0-0 draw brought back from Togo on November 21 may be worrying in this sense. It will not eclipse, however, the solidity of this Senegalese team capable of beating Brazil in a friendly last June by 4 goals to 2 and of renewing itself with the integration of young people like Ismail Jakobs, Iliman Ndiaye and Nicolas Jackson.
A Senegal only beaten once in 2023, but by Algeria in Dakar on September 12. A painful defeat, another reminder for the outgoing winners despite being favorites in this Group C.
Gambia
Gambia-Senegal will be, on January 15, at Yamoussoukro, the very first match of this Group C. More than a derby for the country of the scorpions surrounded by Senegalese soil. The desire to defeat the big brother will be immense among Gambians who also want to confirm their incredible CAN 2022. Novices in the event, they then reached the quarter-finals.
Even if the surprise effect will no longer play a role in Ivory Coast, the Gambia of Moussa Barrow and Ablie Jallow will have no pressure in this tough Group C. The fact remains that Tom Saintfiet’s team narrowly qualified for this final phase, has just lost in Burundi (2-3), on November 16, in the qualifiers for the next World Cup and suffers from a poor squad. sufficiently fleshed out. But facing the big names, like Mali, dominated last March, Gambia knows how to surpass itself. She is therefore the itchy skin of this group C.
Guinea
In the countries of Elephants, the national Syli can hurt a lot. Because Guinea has in its ranks one of the best attackers in Europe, Sehrou Guirassy, serial scorer in the Bundesliga, this season with Stuttgart. The 27-year-old Arlesian could well be the X factor of a very inconsistent Guinean team, certainly eighth finalist at CAN 2022, but with only one match won out of its four played in Cameroon.
Lacking control, his room for maneuver seems reduced as evidenced by his recent defeat in Botswana, on November 21, during qualifying for the next World Cup. The fault lies with midfielders who are too irregular, like Amadou Diawara, Ilaix Moriba and Aguibou Camara, without forgetting Naby Keita. The often injured Syli strategist who will have to regain his panache, during this CAN, for Guinea to assume its status as an outsider in Group C.
Cameroon
Unpredictable Indomitable Lions. Capable of the best and the worst for two years. The best, with this flamboyant victory against Brazil in Qatar (1-0), on December 2, 2022. The worst, with a more than laborious qualification for this CAN 2024. In a very weak three-way group, Cameroon has indeed lost against Namibia only winning against Burundi. This is also the only success for the Lions in 2023 with the one recently won against Mauritius (3-0), on November 17.
Since taking office 2 years ago, Rigobert Song has struggled to find the right formula. In defense, with the sidelining of Michael Ngadeu. In the middle, with an isolated Franck Zambo Aiguissa and even in attack, with the drop in speed of Karl Toko-Ekambi. To add insult to injury, his best gunner Bryan Mbeumo has just withdrawn due to injury.
There remains, despite everything, the indestructible Vincent Aboubakar and these young Lions who emerge at the right time, like Christopher Wooh, Darlin Yongwa or Franck Magri. Enough to give hope to a Cameroon without reference, but with the DNA of victory written in its genes. He is obviously an outsider in this group C.
The pepper
It will sting, it will scratch on January 19 in Yamoussoukro during the clash between Lions of Senegal and Cameroon. The remake of the 2002 CAN final won on penalties by Cameroon