AFCON 2023 : Likely Return of Vincent Aboubakar to the Den of the Indomitable Lions
Injured with a hamstring injury on the eve of the kick-off of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), Vincent Aboubakar has yet to play any matches with Cameroon during the tournament.
However, on Monday, his team, under pressure, managed to secure qualification for the Round of 16 by clinching a victory in injury time of the last group stage match against Gambia (3-2). The Indomitable Lions will play for a spot in the quarter-finals this Saturday in a clash against Nigeria, and they can count on Aboubakar for the occasion !
On Wednesday night, in a post published on Facebook, the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot) announced « the return to collective training of Vincent Aboubakar and Clinton Njie, now available for the rest of the competition.” Despite scoring 5 goals in 3 matches, the Cameroonian attack has not necessarily shone so far in this AFCON, mainly due to a significant lack of efficiency. The return of the top scorer from the last edition (8 goals) comes at the perfect time.
It remains to be seen whether he will be fit to start a match this Saturday and what choices coach Rigobert Song will make in this area. While Karl Toko Ekambi and Frank Magri have been alternating in the center so far, Aboubakar should obviously regain his place if fit. Georges-Kévin Nkoudou is untouchable on the left wing, and four players would then vie for a spot on the right: Toko Ekambi, Magri, Moumi Ngamaleu, and Njie, who seems to be starting from a disadvantage.
