After a serious first round, the Cameroon team enters a new phase of CAN 2022 on Monday January 24 with this round of 16 match against the Comoros, at the Olembé stadium. Double African champion (2000 and 2002), Lucien Mettomo examines the course of the Indomitable Lions and the pitfalls to avoid.
From our special correspondent in Yaoundé,
RFI: The Indomitable Lions gleaned two wins and a draw in the first round, and Vincent Aboubakar scored five goals. How do you judge the first round of Cameroon?
Lucien Mettomo: They fulfilled their contract. They qualified and they scored a lot of goals. Afterwards, I think it was a little slow, but they were able to catch up. It’s a more than satisfactory start to the competition. When I say sluggish, it’s because it’s never easy to play an opening match as host country and in the presence of the President of the Republic (Cameroon-Burkina Faso on January 9). The Indomitable Lions took goals (one per game) and they had to whip to equalize and win. But on the whole, the contract is fulfilled.
We saw some problems in defense, some individual errors, openings of the score conceded. It could be a problem later. ?
It worries me a bit to see that we conceded the first goal in two matches in the first round. In addition, we yielded practically on the same phases of play or on the same type of action. I hope that the coach and the staff have observed this and will provide a clear, clear and precise answer. I prefer that we lead in the score and that the opponents work twice as hard to catch us, rather than us having to chase after the score.
Monday, September 24, Cameroon faces Comoros in the round of 16. A priori, it is a less strong opponent. But can we really still have this judgment?
Not at all ! From my point of view, this judgment is pointless. It would be disrespectful to this nation. The Comoros play for the first time the final phase of the CAN and make a big impression. This team plays with a lot of audacity, without calculation. She knew how to rout a country like Ghana. This means that this team has resources. We must avoid the trap of saying that it is “only” the Comoros etc. If we look at this team like that, we will only have our eyes to cry. You have to have a lot of respect for this team and imbue their game from the start, while avoiding falling back into the wrongs of the first matches: we had possession of the ball and as soon as we were countered, we took a goal. With the Comoros, you will have to be extremely careful.
► Schedule, match results and team standings
You have won the CAN twice, in 2000 and 2002. The current Indomitable Lions repeat that they are only aiming for the final. But it’s been a long time since a country-organizer has raised the CAN. What do you think of the ambition of the Indomitable Lions?
Ambition is legitimate for any athlete I think. Winning the competition, 50 years after the edition in Cameroon and after five coronations, must be something exceptional. But we have to stay competitive. My younger brothers must be game-by-game calculators. If they watch the final before the final, they risk playing the competition before and that would be a shame. We are entering a phase with fewer calculations: you have 90 minutes, you have to win. You win and you go. Every game is a final. And a final, you win it or you lose it.