21 April 2011
Cameroon have taken a giant step towards the semifinals of the 2011 African Youth Championships with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Nigeria on Thursday.
The only goal of the game was scored in first-half injury-time by Franck Ohandza and the result leaves Cameroon on top of the pool with six points and with one foot in the semis.
Nigeria just never got going in a match they might have expected to win, especially after they beat defending champions Ghana in their opening encounter on Monday.
Ohandza had the ball in the back on the net on 35 minutes but the flag was rightly raised for offside. He did make a chance count just before the break though as he scored with a superb 25-yard shot that left Flying Eagles keeper Paul Dami with no chance.
It was just reward for the Young Lions as they had been by far the better side in the opening stanza.
Dami did brilliantly to deny Jacques Haman when the Cameroonian was clear on goal and seemed certain to score, but the keeper stuck out a hand to save his shot at point-blank range.
Banana Yaya headed over just yards from the line for the Young Lions, while Edgar Salli struck the crossbar with a free-kick.
Haman had a good chance at the near post but Gbenga Arokoyo did just enough to deny him, while Franck Nkom made a great tackle on Abdul Ajagun as the Nigerians looked to scythe open the Cameroon defence.
Cameroon should have won by a wider margin, but in the end they will simply be grateful for the three point, while Nigeria now have to beat Gambia in their final Group B match on Sunday to have any chance of making the final four.
