Cameroon head coach Gabriel Zabo says his side will work hard to raise their performance in the doubleheader against the Gambia in the last qualifying round for the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2022.
The Indomitable Lionesses are relishing a 12th WAFCON campaign in Morocco but will need to better their showing against the Queen Scorpions, beginning in the first leg on Friday.
As thrice WAFCON finalists and twice Women’s World Cup campaigners, the Cameroonian tactician opened up on the mood and readiness of his side ahead of the first leg tie with Gambia.
“We have prepared very well. We have been in camp for over three weeks. We started with home-based players but now have foreign-based players with us,” Zabo told CAFOnline.com.
“We have an exciting atmosphere knowing the first-leg game is key. We are ready. “The importance of the game can’t be overemphasized. AWCON qualification depends on this game and we are obliged to qualify.
As Mariama Sowe boasts of foreign-based additions, including Spain-born Fatuomata Kentah and Sweden-born Ida Mbaye, Zabo will be hoping his international stars, including Aboudi Onguene and Ajara Nchout to see off the ambitious Gambians.
You know the Gambia have good players, they didn’t get to this stage by luck. African women’s football today is improving and the Gambia is not left behind,” he continued.
“Their men’s team already demonstrated this during the AFCON 2021 in Cameroon. We know some of their players like Penda and Fatoumata but I can reveal to you that we won’t be having an anti-Penda or Fatoumata’s plan. However, we plan to organize our team in a way our players play well and score.”
The Cameroonians squeezed past Central African Republic, with an uninspiring slim 1-0 wins in both legs and the former Stade Renard manager is confident his side will put up a better showing in a second-round battle with the Queen Scorpions.
“I don’t want to say we are building a whole new team. We have some experienced players we are combining with the upcoming players. The game against CAR was some sort of a test game,” he reflected.
“We are going step by step. We take the lessons for that game. Obviously, the first leg was more complicated but we improved in the second game and I believe against the Gambia we will improve in terms of our quality of play and the results.”
In Yaounde, Cameroon will take on the Gambians at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo for the crucial first leg on February 18 and the decisive reverse fixture comes up five days later at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
