LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Cameroon coach Rigobert Track got here full circle on a memorable and bittersweet evening for African soccer.
Jerome Ngom Mbekeli, the one member of Cameroon’s group who performs for a Cameroonian membership, made an inspiring run and cross to arrange Vincent Aboubakar’s header and stoppage-time winner in a 1-0 victory to make the Indomitable Lions the primary African nation to beat Brazil at a World Cup.
Regardless of the victory on Friday, Cameroon completed third in its group and was eradicated.
The 24-year-old Ngom Mbekeli was Cameroon’s closing substitution, approaching 4 minutes from time. Track credited his personal former coach, Henri Michel, for giving him a chance in 1994 when he performed for native membership Tonnerre Yaoundé as he was making his World Cup debut.
“You might want to belief youth,” Track mentioned by a translator. “Henri Michel gave me a chance. He noticed the potential in me. Now I’m the coach and I see potential in my younger gamers.
“I knew (Ngom Mbekeli) was , high quality participant. He simply wanted a chance to point out that. Hopefully his efficiency can encourage different native gamers.”
Goalkeeper Devis Epassy — thrust into motion after common starter Andre Onana was sent home for disciplinary reasons after a dispute with Track earlier than Cameroon’s earlier sport — earned participant of the match honors for a collection of adverse saves.
“Nobody knew me — even in Cameroon — till I began taking part in for the nationwide group a yr in the past,” Epassy mentioned by a translator. “We may be pleased with what we’ve finished tonight. We confirmed that we will also be a high group.”
Each Epassy and Aboubakar play for golf equipment in Saudi Arabia.
With eight targets in seven video games, the 22-year-old Aboubakar was the highest scorer on the African Cup of Nations in January.
Track and Samuel Eto’o, Cameroon’s soccer federation president, are instilling a strict self-discipline coverage modeled after the European golf equipment that they as soon as performed for — Track as a dependable defender and Eto’o as a standout striker.
“That’s the place we let ourselves down previously,” Track mentioned. “Maybe we didn’t do every thing proper, so we’re specializing in self-discipline.
“The group all the time must take precedent over people. Once you play for the nationwide group it’s essential do what’s anticipated of you.”
Whereas Brazil had already superior and used principally reserves, Cameroon nonetheless turned the primary group to beat the five-time champion within the World Cup group stage since Norway did it on the 1998 match in France — ending an unbeaten run of 17 group matches.
“We understand now that we might have finished higher,” Track mentioned. “However we’re a younger group and right now we’ve seen a younger group getting stronger and stronger, and they need to be congratulated on their efficiency.
“It’s an actual disgrace that we’ve to go dwelling now,” Track added. “However we’re going to maintain working and maintain bettering.”
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Andrew Dampf is at https://twitter.com/AndrewDampf
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AP World Cup protection: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
