Cape Verde sink Cameroon to ignite Afcon hopes

Cape Verde ignited their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) hopes with a 3-1 comeback win over already qualified Cameroon at Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde in Praia on Friday.

Victory moved the Blue Sharks up to seven points in Group F, two ahead of Rwanda and three points clear of Mozambique who they face in Maputo next week.

Cameroon, who have already qualified by virtue of being hosts, remain top of the group on 10 points after five rounds of qualifiers.

The Indomitable Lions took an early lead through an exquisite Pierre Kunde Malong free-kick in the 14th minute, that left goalkeeper Evora Dias with little chance.

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The Blue Sharks earn three important points in the race for the #TotalAFCON ticket. ?? @fcfcomunica | #TotalAFCONQ2021 | @FecafootOfficie pic.twitter.com/nYajm13GlG

— CAF (@CAF_Online) March 26, 2021

Cape Verde hit back 10 minutes later as midfielder Kuca pounced on Cameroon's failure to clear a long throw-in, as the two teams headed into the half-time break at level pegging.

The hosts completed the comeback in the 59th minute as Macky Bagnack put the ball beyond his own goalkeeper from a Ryan Mendes shot.

Mendes would not be denied a goal, though, and after beating the offside trap, the Cape Verde veteran raced onto a long ball before finishing with aplomb past Fabrice Ondoa to seal victory and all three points for the hosts.

The top two nations in each group advance to the 24-team finals hosted in Cameroon next year.

Cape Verde (1) 3 (Kuca 24' Bagnack og. 59' Mendes 69')
Cameroon (1) 1 (Kunde Malong 14')

Cape Verde: Evora Dias; Tavares, Stopira (G.Tavares 90+1'), Pereira, Furtado Pereira, Soares (Borges 90'), Andrade (Tavares 71'), Lopes, Kuca, Semedo (Fernandes 80'), Mendes (Lopes 90+1')

Cameroon: Ondoa; Mbaizo, Onguene, Bagnack, Ngah, Djoum (Hongla 67'), Kunde Malong, Onana, Tabekou (N'Jie 64'), Ngamaleu (Ako 85'), Aboubakar.