CAN 2022: Cameroon-Burkina Faso, a small final with a bitter taste for the Lions
Cameroonian Vincent Aboubakar caught by Burkinabe pincer Patrick Malo-Steeve Yago, January 9 in Yaoundé during CAN 2022. © Pierre RENÉ-WORMS/RFI
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
4 mins
The Cameroonians barely have time to digest their defeat in the semi-finals of CAN 2022 against Egypt that they have to leave for a fight much more modest than expected.
The match for third place is held on Saturday February 5 in Yaoundé against Burkina Faso.
And if the Indomitable Lions appear bruised, the Stallions, they approach this last meeting in better moods.
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From our special correspondent in Yaoundé,
Barely 5 p.m.
Barely 17 hours passed between Clinton Njie's missed shot on goal, which sealed
Cameroon's elimination
against Egypt on Thursday in the
CAN 2022
semi-finals (0-0, 3 shots on goal to 1), and the moment when Toni Conceiçao and André Onana appeared in front of the press, Friday February 4, to discuss the next game of the Indomitable Lions.
Failing to seek the title in the final on Sunday at the Olembé stadium, they will have to settle for the meeting for third place on Saturday at the Ahmadou-Ahidjo stadium.
Thursday evening,
the Cameroonians appeared very dejected
shortly after their elimination.
And unsurprisingly, André Onana had not found a smile when talking about this match against Burkina Faso, the other team beaten in the semi-finals by Senegal on Wednesday.
A remake of the opening match of this CAN, won with forceps by Cameroon on January 9 (
2-1
).
The Indomitable Lions hit in morale
As a leader and part of the selection, the goalkeeper held his rank, answering questions despite this disappointment engraved on his face.
At times he seemed to lose track of what he was saying, searching for his words.
"
It's football that's like that, life too
," he said.
Because of course, before evoking this Cameroon-Burkina Faso, there was a lot of talk about failure against the Pharaohs.
Indomitable Lions coach Toni Conceiçao has not escaped criticism.
He didn't run away either.
Lambasted for his tactical choices and his list of shooters during the penalty shootout (only Vincent Aboubakar scored his, while Harold Moukoudi, James Léa Siliki and Clinton Njie missed each other), the Portuguese assumed: "
C I am the one who makes the decisions.
I take responsibility, not the boys.
»
André Onana then added that he hoped that, against Burkina, if the match were to go to penalties again, "
that these same players (who missed against Egypt) would have the c***lles to take the ball and put it in the back
”.
The fresh memory of this lost half seems very deeply rooted.
Much more lightness in the Burkinabè ranks
For the honor, for their public and not to finish this CAN at home on a new failure like in 1972, the Cameroonians want at least to take this third place.
“
Great men fall but manage to get up
,” Conceiçao philosophized.
However, the spirits have difficulty in turning to this appointment.
Before taking his leave, Onana sent a final message to his country's press: that it spare the young players from its criticisms and that it only “
hits
” on himself, Vincent Aboubakar or the executives.
André Onana asks the press: "Please, our big brothers, our big sisters, protect us. We are a very young team. If you have to hit people, hit me, Abou, the executives. We We're used to it. It's important for the future of this country."
#CAN2021 #Cameroon pic.twitter.com/vd3xNv0U3C
— Nicolas Bamba (@nicobamba) February 4, 2022
The Burkinabè did not have the same tormented clouds in their heads.
Of course, the disappointment of elimination against the Teranga Lions did not go away.
But it obviously left far fewer traces than that suffered by the Indomitable Lions.
Kamou Malo and Bertrand Traoré had no trouble smiling and even laughing, as when the striker believed that a journalist had designated him as the oldest player of the Stallions... when he didn't is only 26 years old.
More seriously, the Aston Villa player confided: “
As captain, I have to remobilize everyone.
We are here for a purpose.
Return to Burkina with third place.
It will do a lot of good to the country which is going through a difficult time.
» Vice-champions of Africa in 2013, third in 2017, the Stallions are clearly aiming for the podium.
The additional 24 hours of recovery and the consequences of the defeat of their opponents at home are all arguments in favor of the Burkinabè.
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