In a game leading to it expectation as one of the greatest encounter in the Africa world cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers, Karl Toko Ekambi’s lone goal ensured the Indomitable lions of Cameroon ease pass the Elephant of La cote d’ivoire to the next round of the competition.
Leading the table with just a points separating both countries prior to the kickstart of the encounter, the Ivory coast needed a drawn game to have parashooted them to the next stage of the qualifying campaign.
However, 21′ minutes screamer in the first half by forward Karl Toko Ekambi was enough to have secured all three maximum points to the Cameroonians leading them to clinch the summit of their group with 15 points thus qualifies to the third round of the campaign.
With a perfect mildfield combination of Maxwell Cornet, Jean Michael Serri, Frank Kessie and Serge Aurier, the elephant were suprior to the Indomitable lions despite conceding an early goal even though Jean Onana, Nicholas Ngamaleu, Vicent Aboubakar and Karl Toko Ekambi himself battled it out with them.
As tempers boiled and high and with a higher sense of urgence, the Ivorians immediately minutes after the half time break introduced some fresh blood where the likes of Odilon Kossounou, Jean Evrard Kouassi, Jean Michael Serri and Max Gradel all made way for Ibrahim Sangare, Nicholas Pepe, Hamed Junior Traore and Christian Kouame.
Pressure continued to pile on the Cameroonians but amidst this period, there were on occasions they could have sealed victory with the second goal as the defense of Ivory coast at some point in time were found wanting ones they were eager to have put parity where 72′ minutes substitute for goal scorer Ekambi, Eric Maxim Choupo- Moting failed to have kissed the back of the net after he was picked rightfully inside the eighteen yard of La cote d’ivoire.
Little for both teams to do, aside excelling one a beautiful game on the night, the introduction of Martin Hongla for Jean Onana and Leandre Tawamba for Nicholas Ngamaleu as well as Vicent Aboubakar paving way for James Silliki only proved Cameroon get the bragging rights ahead of the Ivory coast.
For the final whistle of refree, Cameroon pip Ivory coast by 1-0 as they qualifies on top of their group with 15 points leaving the Ivorians on 13 to the next round of the qualifying campaign.
World cup qualifiers – Match summary – Karl Toko Ekambi’s strike sends Cameroon to the next round of the competition
