YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Between its 2026 World Cup qualifying loss and the start of the African Cup of Nations three weeks later, Cameroon fired its coach and hired a replacement.
New coach David Pagu immediately removed captain Vincent Abubakar and goalkeeper Andre Onana from the squad. The team was announced late Monday. Ahead of AFCON, which starts in Morocco on December 21st.
Pagou replaced veteran Belgian coach Marc Bliss, who appeared to have been appointed last year by the sports ministry against the wishes of Cameroon’s great Samuel Eto’o’s football federation.
monday federation Complaint list published Mr. Bryce includes allegations of deception and insubordination.
Brees’ last game was a 1-0 loss to Congo in the African World Cup qualifying playoffs last month.
Pagou, an experienced coach in the Cameroonian league, selected a 28-man AFCON squad that was missing Onana and 33-year-old Abubakar, who was on loan from Manchester United with Trabzonspor in the Turkish league. His 45 goals for the national team are second only to Eto’o’s 56, including the late goal in the final against Egypt that clinched the 2017 African title.
The Cameroon squad, which also includes Manchester United forward Brian Mbeumo, is preparing to start the group against Gabon on December 24th. This group also includes defending champions Ivory Coast and Mozambique.
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
