Online Reporter
CAMEROON have omitted goalkeeper Andre Onana from their squad for the Africa Cup of Nations football finals starting this month in Morocco and appointed David Pagou as coach to replace Belgian Marc Brys.
Onana, on loan at Trabzonspor from Manchester United, is one of several experienced players dropped for the December 21 to January 18 tournament, including striker Vincent Aboubakar, who has been a mainstay of the team for the last 15 years.
The changes come after Cameroon failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Manchester United winger Bryan Mbeumo is in the squad along with Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Carlos Baleba.
The country’s football federation President Samuel Eto’o has made no secret of his desire to replace Brys, 63, since the latter’s April 2024 appointment by the sports ministry and has tried several times before.
Emboldened by his re-election as president last weekend, Eto’o has had another go and replaced the Belgian with 56-year-old Pagou, who has managed in Cameroon’s domestic league and will be assisted by Martin Ntoungou Mpile.
Cameroon open their Group F campaign at the Cup of Nations finals against Gabon in Agadir on December 24.
They also have defending champions Ivory Coast and Mozambique in their pool.
Meanwhile, Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday omitted forward Yoane Wissa from their 26-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, with the forward having been out of action since October.
Wissa, 29, suffered a knee injury on international duty and has yet to feature for Newcastle United since his move from Brentford at the start of the English Premier League season.
But he has returned to training and on Monday Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said: “Yoane participated in an 11 v 11 training game while we were at Everton.
“He’ll have another one at some stage this week and we’ll see how close he is (to returning to action).”
However, DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre has left Wissa out of the squad for this month’s tournament in Morocco.
The Congolese compete in Group D and play their first game against Benin in Rabat on December 23. They also have Botswana and Senegal in their section. — AFP Sport.
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