Samuel Eto’o
The
tiny Cape Verde Islands eliminated former World Cup quarter-finalists
Cameroon on Sunday to win a place at the African Nations Cup finals for
the first time despite losing 2-1 in the second leg of their final-round
qualifier.
A country with a population of 500,000
pulled off one of the biggest shocks in the competition’s history with
their 3-2 aggregate triumph after winning the first leg at home 2-0 last
month.
Cape Verde had expected a rampant
response from Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions in Sunday’s return leg but
were met instead with a nervy and muted showing, allowing them to extend
their aggregate lead 22 minutes into the game with a free kick from
Portuguese-based striker Heldon.
Cameroon were back level minutes later
through Achille Emana but still needed three more goals to overturn the
deficit, a task that seemed beyond their dispirited performance.
The hosts got their second goal four
minutes into stoppage when 16-year-old substitute Fabrice Olinga came on
to score at the end of a cross from Samuel Eto’o.
The return of four-time African
Footballer of the Year Eto’o and a change of coach ahead of the second
leg did little to resurrect Cameroon’s fortunes.
They now miss out on the Nations Cup for
a second successive tournament, suggesting the era of a regular role as
one of African football’s superpowers is at an end.
Cape Verde, with a team drawn from their
extensive diaspora in Europe, toyed at times with their much-vaunted
hosts, passing the ball around at pedestrian pace in the second half to
waste time
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