The continental tournament began in Yaounde on Saturday with two more games coming up on Sunday after Covid-19 stopped re-recording
Hosts Cameroon opened Group A of the African Nations Championship with a 1-0 win over Zimbabwe on Saturday at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium.
Salomon Banga Bindjeme’s goal in the 72nd minute was all that the Indomitable Lions – who were struggling against the Warriors – needed to open the tournament with a win.
Zimbabwe would feel unbeaten by Banga ‘s acrobatic goal but they must be proud of the way they faced and faced Cameroon as they prepare for the next games against Mali and Burkina Faso. .
Prior to the game, Warriors coach Zdravko Logarusic had claimed witchcraft was at play after a dead bat was found on the pitch before it started.
In the second game of Group A, Mali opened with a 1-0 win over their rivals in West Africa Burkina Faso.
Since the goal line was the same as the Cameroonian, Mali’s goal was scored almost at the same time as when the Indomitable Lions found the back of the net.
Siaka Bagayoko scored in the 70th minute as his header was enough to settle what happened in Yaounde.
Cameroon and Mali are now tied at the top ahead of the second group games.
Two games will be played on Sunday with Libya vs Niger as the first. The Mediterranean Knights are in the competition as a team invited after their Tunisian neighbors resigned announcing dense domestic fixtures.
Libya in Cameroon know full well that they are engaged in a daunting task as their Premier League has been suspended for more than two years over the volatility of the country ‘s security. They bank on the experience of head coach Zoran Filipovic and vice-captain Mohamed Al-Kikli in the hope of recording good results.
Filipovic had to select his 28-man squad from across seven clubs for the biennial tournament.
Niger, on the other hand – who won the Not Not slot after seeing off Ivory Coast – are making their third appearance in the tournament. They reached the quarter-finals in 2011 and their goal was to go further than they did then.
Niger were third in a pre-Chan tournament that included the hosts, former champions Afcon Zambia and Uganda.
In the second game, the Democratic Republic of Congo will be up against Congo Brazzaville.