AFCON 2022 QUARTER-FINAL: Gambia vs Cameroon

Welcome back to our AFCON 2022 preview with the first set of Quarter Final fixtures going down later today.

Gambia will take on the host nation, Cameroon, while Burkina Faso will face off against Tunisia.

Considering the stage we are in the competition, it won’t quite be a culpable offense to anticipate a feisty encounter from the teams who have made it thus far.

Hopefully, these fixtures would produce fireworks expected of it

However, as in our regular fashion, we will be taking a close look at one of the two fixtures.

Without further ado, let’s go straight to the match preview.

GAMBIA:

Performance In The Competition: Really, we can do nothing but appreciate how well the Scorpions of Gambia have performed in this competition.

Already tagged “Dark Horses” of the tournament, Tom Saintfiet’s men are yet to suffer defeat, winning 3 and drawing 1 of the 4 games they’ve played.

A pretty remarkable accomplishment from one of the underdogs of African football

The scorpions would be keen to show their fans how much of their sting they still got, in this fixture

Excellent Defence Record: We definitely cannot undermine the remarkable effort which has given way to Gambia’s stellar performance in this tournament

They are also said to have been criticized for their pragmatism as they’ve only managed to find the back of the opposition net just four times in this competition, averaging a goal per game, conceding just a goal all tournament long is worthy of note.

Breaking through this defence will demand an overall attacking masterclass from the host nation.

A big plus for Gambia, isn’t it?

Let’s now take a look at facts outlining the prowess of the host nation

CAMEROON:

Performance In The Competition: Just like their opponents, Cameroon have kept an astonishing record as well.

They’ve amassed 3 wins and 1 draw in all 4 games, taking full advantage of being the host nation.

Gambia would be faced with the uphill task of stifling the prolific Cameroonian forward Vincent Aboubakar, who currently stands as the tournament’s top scorer.

Excellent Attack Record: As opposed to the Gambians, Cameroon’s prolificacy in front of goal is nothing short of outstanding.

They’ve managed an average of 2.25 goals per game, totaling 9 goals in just 4 games, the best of any side still left in the competition. superb isn’t it?

Worthy of a notable mention, they’ve got the highest goal scorer of the competition in Vincent Aboubakar, and he certainly doesn’t look one to take off his scoring boots anytime soon

Neutralizing this attack will definitely be a herculean task of the Scorpions of Gambia.

As they say, impossible is nothing

Home Advantage: A key factor for the host nation would be the presence of their 12th man, who have been ever-present to cheer them on since the inception of this edition. The fan factor is most definitely one thing we can’t overlook.

The intimidating atmosphere to be created by the home fans is most certainly not what the Gambians would look forward to

The same applies to Antonio Conceicao and his men.

CONCLUSION:

Considering the facts before us, we won’t be deemed entirely wrong to say that the odds are in favor of the host nation.

However, we shouldn’t entirely rule out any chances of Gambia coming out victorious in this feisty clash considering their impressive performances thus far in this competition.

Not to forget the clash between Burkina Faso and Tunisia.

If there has to be a word to summarize this fixture, Tricky it is.

Who triumphs in this round of fixtures, time will tell.

The stage is set…..

Feel free to drop your comments in the comment section below, it will definitely be appreciated by us and our other esteemed readers. 

Credits: Pitaskalez