Ten-man Guinea held out for a 1-1 draw against Cameroon in a highly anticipated Group C clash played at the Stade Charles Konan Banny in Yamoussoukro on Monday.
Mohamed Bayo put Guinea in front but Franck Magri leveled matters to earn a point for the Indomitable Lions.
With talisman Vincent Aboubakar missing due to injury, Rigobert Song looked to Karl Toko Ekambi for inspiration in attack. Frabrice Ondoa was in between the sticks with Andre Onana arriving in Ivory Coast on a few hours before the match.
Guinea Captain Naby Keita started the match on the bench, coach Kaba Diawara showing preference for Françios Kamano to wear the armband.
The Guineans started the match on the front foot. Mouctar Diakhaby nearly had an opening early on but his header from inside the box went over from Ilaix Moriba’s cross.
Eventually it was Mohamed Bayo who put Guinea in the lead with 11 minutes gone in the first half taking advantage of poor clearance in the Cameroon defense.
Guinea were then reduced to 10 men just with captain Françios Kamano seeing red for a foul on Franck Magri just before halftime. An intial yellow card was upgraded to red following a VAR review.
Taking advantage of the extra man, Cameroon drew level, Franck Magri heading in from a Georges-Kevin N’koudou cross in the 52nd minute.
Despite the oncoming pressure from Cameroon, Guinea held on to a earn a point in an energy sapping encounter.
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