Indomitable Lions crushes Elephants to strengthen Group D lead

Cameroon handed Cote D’Ivoire a 4-1 drubbing in Yaounde on Wednesday in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group stage to keep pole position.

Cameroon soundly defeated Cote D’Ivoire 4-1 at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde in Group D’s second match day opener of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group phase.

Two goals each from Clinton Njie and Vincent Aboubakar sealed the Indomitable Lions’ exhilarating victory, with Yaya Toure scoring one for the Elephants in their worst rout in more than a decade

Cote D’Ivoire began with confidence, proving dominant in the opening exchanges and pushing the Indomitable Lions to fight from their area, but goal chances created by the Ivorians were blocked in quick succession by a nervy defence from the home side.

The flow of traffic towards the Cameroonian box continued after the 10th minute, although with Gervinho’s several attempts to cut in through both flanks turning out futile.

And as the Ivorians maintained ascendancy, they were leaving potholes behind which the Lions successfully exploited in the 14th minute when Clinton Njie of Ligue 1’s Lyon raced down through the left and stroked his effort towards the Ivorian post, with Paris Saint Germain defender Serge Aurier deflecting inside his own net to gift the hosts a 1-0 lead.

The rhythm grew into a frenetic pace as both sides struggled to hold and use the ball that kept floating from one end of the field to the other, with the Ivorians multiplying attempts to pull level.

Aurier drifted deep from the right side of the Cameroon area, and after outmuscling his marker, scuffed his finish towards the post but goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoua parried initially to deny the Ivorian effort, but the ball fell into the path of onrushing Yaya Toure, who tapped in easily to claim the equaliser by the 24th minute.

Thereafter, Cote D’Ivoire enjoyed more domination but wasted a number of glorious chances to take the lead.

By the 34th minute, Gervinho was moved to the left and had enough pace and space in the box to place his last ditch effort to the side of the goalkeeper, but the Roma winger pushed the ball too deep and was beaten to it by Ondoua.

Minutes later, Aurier surged forward, using the right flank, and laid it on for unmarked Wilfried Bony, who once more fluffed his side’s clear-cut chance.

Cameroon retook the lead after Ivorian defender Lamine Kone’s back header was grabbed by Vincent Aboubakar, who flawlessly hit home his team’s second goal in the 37th minute.

The Lions returned from the break looking even hungrier for goals than in the first half, as they besieged the Ivorian half in search of a breach, which surfaced in the 54th minute when Aboubakar claimed a loose ball in the scramble and lashed home his double to power the Lions’ lead to 3-1.

Second half entrant Seydou Doumbia of CSKA Moscow brought some pace to Cote D’Ivoire’s attacking line but sloppy finishing continued, with Bony and Max Gradel failing to beat goalkeeper Ondoua while in one-on-one positions.

The Cameroonians strung beautiful passes together in the Ivorian area while inspecting for openings to launch an onslaught.

After dragging two defenders to the right to create some space, Aboubakar dispatched a sublime chip to Njie, who completed his brace to take it to 4-1 in the 76th minute.

The home side negotiated the rest of the meeting, making sure their huge lead remained unscathed until the final whistle.

Cameroon currently top Group D with six points while Cote D’Ivoire are temporarily second, ahead of the group’s second game between Sierra Leone and DR Congo.