Cameroon Welcome Back Aboubakar, Njie Ahead Of 2023 AFCON Clash With Nigeria

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon have received two major boosts ahead of their 2023 AFCON round of 16 clashes with the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

Cameroon, who struggled to escape from Group C, where they finished second with four points after recording one win, one draw, and one defeat, have welcomed back their talismanic striker Vincent Aboubakar and Clinton Njie.

The two players didn’t play any part in the group stage due to fitness issues, and their absence was greatly missed throughout the group stage.

Despite their injury, coach Rigobert Song did not deem it necessary to kick them out of the tournament because they were important to the team.

Fortunately for the coach and football enthusiasts in Cameroon, the Cameroonian Football Federation announced the return of the two players via its official Facebook page on Thursday.

“The return to collective training of Vincent Aboubakar and Clinton Njie, now available for the rest of the competition”, the football body said.

Abubakar and Njie were members of the Cameroon squad that won the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, and they have both scored goals against Nigeria in the past.

N’Jie, who plays for Süper Lig club Sivasspor, scored Cameroon’s second goal against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the second round of the 2019 AFCON in Egypt, which ended in a 3-2 victory for the Eagles en route to winning bronze in the competition.

Aboubakar, who plays for Süper Lig club Beşiktaş, scored against Nigeria in a 2017 World Cup qualifier match in Yaounde, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Nevertheless, the Super Eagles are not expected to be moved by the return of the two veteran forwards because Nigeria currently has one of the best defenses so far in the 2023 AFCON, which has conceded just a goal in three matches.

Note that the two West African football giants will meet in the 2023 AFCON round of 16 clash at 9 p.m. on Saturday, January 27.