Tears flow in Malabo as Lions bow out of AFCON 2015

It was a very difficult evening Jan. 28 for Cameroon football fans in Malabo and back home as they watch helplessly their national team eliminated in the first round of the 2015 African Cup of Nation in Equatorial Guinea.

The Lions after failing to win their first two games in the tournament recording draws with Mali and Guinea Conakry had their hopes dashed of progressing to the knock out phase after they got beaten by Ivory Coast 0-1.

Losing to Ivory Coast in the last group game was synonymous to elimination as they finished last in group D with just two points out of a possible nine.

Many fans and supporters could not hold back their tears at the final blast of the whistle for the match.

“I’m crying because we won Cote d’ivoire during the qualifying round and I did not see them beating us 1-0 in this game. I am very disappointed with the coach of the team because players that could give victory to Cameroon were left on the bench.” said one female supporter in tears.

The disgraceful ousting of the Lions from the Equatorial Guinea expedition seems more of what happened in Brazil.

Even at a moment when all Cameroonians raised one voice to call on Coach Volker Finke and the technical staff of the team to give play time to Njie Clinton, who performed marvelously during the qualifiers, the call fell on deft ears. Njie acclaimed as savior of the team played only 20 minutes of the three matches the Lions staged in the tournament, this to the total dissatisfaction of Cameroon football fans.

Accusing fingers have pointed at the coach and team captain Stephan Mbia for dictating the choice of players for the matches which ended up very devastating for the Cameroon.

Joseph Owona, president of FECAFOOT Normalisation Committee while in Malabo before Cameroon’s game against Ivory Coast said there were no problems in the team. He said it is the choice of the coach on which players are chosen for each game, castigating the numerous calls for Njie Clinton to be lined up in the first eleven.