Sabasports Match Preview
Africa Cup of Nations: Cameroon vs Gabon
Kickoff Time: 2025-12-25 04:00 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
Cameroon has performed exceptionally in the Africa Cup of Nations, having won the championship in 2017 and the third place in 2021. However, this tournament has been overshadowed by power struggles, dismissals, and lineup controversies. Just before the African Cup kicked off, Cameroon was embroiled in a fierce internal dispute. Belgian coach Marc Brys was appointed by the Cameroonian Ministry of Sports in April 2024 but was dismissed by the President of the Cameroon Football Federation, Samuel Eto’o. Brys publicly rejected this decision, insisting that he is still the legitimate head coach of the national team, and submitted a roster before the registration deadline for the African Cup. Meanwhile, the Cameroon Football Federation appointed local coach David Pagou as the new head coach, releasing another 28-player roster that excluded not only André Onana and Vincent Aboubakar but also several experienced national players. Aboubakar, a long-time captain and key scorer in recent tournaments, faced significant backlash for his omission. Media speculates one reason could be Eto’o’s fear that Aboubakar might break his record for appearances and goals in the national team. Eto’o scored 56 goals in 118 matches for Cameroon, while Aboubakar has netted 45 goals in 117 appearances. Recent qualifiers show that Cameroon’s performance has been unstable, losing to weaker teams like Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while being held to a draw at home by Angola. Clearly, the power struggle has severely impacted the team’s performance.
Gabon achieved its best result in the Africa Cup of Nations by reaching the quarter-finals in 1996, while their most recent participation in the final competition was in 2021. During the round of 16, Gabon was eliminated in a penalty shootout by Burkina Faso. Their preliminary qualifiers performed extraordinarily well, managing draws against strong teams like Ivory Coast and Nigeria. The last time the team lost in the final match was in November 2024, against Morocco, which finished third in the 2022 World Cup. The announced squad features several stars playing in Ligue 1, such as Marseille forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Angers forward Jim Allevinah, and defenders Jacques Ekomié and Michel Mboula, as well as Amiens midfielder Teddy Andami Averlant. Among them, Aubameyang boasts the richest experience in major tournaments. Although he is already 36 years old, he has rejuvenated this season, scoring 5 goals and providing 5 assists in the league, and netting 3 goals and 4 assists in the Champions League, including two goals against Newcastle in just five minutes. In October of this year, in a crucial World Cup qualifier against Gambia, Aubameyang scored four goals, leading his team to a 4-3 comeback victory, earning him the honorary title of “national president-level” among Gabonese fans. In this tournament, Aubameyang will continue to serve as the captain, becoming the definitive core and spiritual leader of Gabon.
Cameroon is currently mired in internal strife due to power struggles, with insufficient preparations. Moreover, the new head coach lacks experience with the national team and has lost several star players, weakening the overall strength. In contrast, Gabon boasts nearly a year of unbeaten performance in official matches, with all players unified in both offensive and defensive tactics, forming a collaborative awareness and system. Undoubtedly, Gabon is already ahead at the starting line. In this matchup, it is believed that Gabon can seize points from Cameroon.
Cameroon’s Last 5 Games: LDWLW
25-Nov-14: Cameroon 0-1 Democratic Republic of the Congo
25-Oct-14: Cameroon 0-0 Angola
25-Oct-08: Mauritius 0-2 Cameroon
25-Sep-10: Cape Verde 1-0 Cameroon
25-Sep-05: Cameroon 3-0 Eswatini
Gabon’s Last 5 Games: DWWDW
25-Nov-14: Nigeria 1-1 Gabon (after extra time 3-0)
25-Oct-15: Gabon 2-0 Burundi
25-Oct-10: Gambia 3-4 Gabon
25-Sep-10: Gabon 0-0 Ivory Coast
25-Sep-03: Seychelles 0-4 Gabon
Head-to-Head Record:
17-Jan-23: Cameroon 0-0 Gabon
16-Sep-07: Cameroon 2-1 Gabon
10-Jan-14: Cameroon 0-1 Gabon
09-Sep-09: Cameroon 2-1 Gabon
09-Sep-05: Gabon 0-2 Cameroon
Prediction: Draw for Gabon, or away win