Cameroon’s massive gamble for the World Cup was placing its marketing campaign within the fingers of one in all its biggest gamers.
Rigobert Music, a extremely revered former captain, was appointed coach in February regardless of an absence of managerial expertise outdoors of Cameroon’s youth buildings. He faces the problem of attempting to take the Indomitable Lions previous the group stage of a World Cup for the primary time since Roger Milla and Co. made their option to the quarterfinals in 1990 and put African soccer on the map.
Music succeeded in his first mission when Cameroon received a two-legged playoff in opposition to Algeria in March to qualify for the match in Qatar, though solely after a last-ditch aim by Karl Toko Ekambi 4 minutes into harm time on the finish of additional time of the second recreation.
Subsequent losses to Uzbekistan and South Korea in World Cup warmups have offered a actuality verify and raised questions on whether or not federation president Samuel Eto’o, a former teammate of Music, was too hasty in changing Toni Conceição. The Portuguese coach led Cameroon to a third-place end at this yr’s African Cup of Nations and laid a basis to construct on in Qatar.
A NEW SONG
Nobody doubts Music’s big contribution to Cameroonian soccer. He performed at 4 World Cups, eight African Cups, received two African titles and made a nationwide document 137 appearances for his nation. However he has but to win everybody over in his new position.
Music’s teaching resume is nowhere close to as intensive as his enjoying achievements. A Cameroon “A” staff he was in command of on the African Nations Championship in 2018 completed final in its group and was embarrassed by losses to Republic of Congo and Angola.
The 46-year-old former Liverpool defender coached the under-23 staff earlier than his promotion however the doubts about his capability are set to observe Cameroon to the World Cup, the place it performs Switzerland, Serbia and Brazil in Group G.
MBEUMO BOOST
Cameroon’s attacking menace has been boosted by former France under-21 worldwide Bryan Mbeumo’s resolution to change allegiance to his father’s house nation.
The 23-year-old Brentford ahead provides Premier League expertise up entrance alongside Vincent Aboubakar and Toko Ekambi, who had been a formidable strike mixture and the highest two scorers at this yr’s African Cup with 13 targets between them. There’s additionally Bayern Munich ahead Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Holding midfielder André-Frank Zambo Anguissa is arguably Cameroon’s most essential participant however Music has up to now did not bolster a protection that has a behavior of leaking early targets. He hasn’t managed to persuade Liverpool defender Joel Matip to return to worldwide obligation.
GHOSTS OF 1990
The Milla staff that beat Argentina and Colombia and took England to the wire on the 1990 World Cup in Italy broke boundaries for African soccer by reaching the quarterfinals and almost the semifinals, and is the usual in opposition to which each and every Cameroon staff since has been judged. Each one has been a disappointment.
The Central African nation could yearn for a repeat of that magical run of 32 years in the past however the chilly actuality is that Cameroon has received just one recreation on the World Cup since 1990, in opposition to Saudi Arabia in 2002.
Cameroon misplaced all three of its video games and had the worst document of all 32 groups on the final World Cup it performed at in 2014.
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Related Press author Isifu Wirfengla in Yaounde, Cameroon, contributed to this report.
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AP World Cup protection: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
