{"id":350767,"date":"2017-09-05T05:34:33","date_gmt":"2017-09-05T05:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=350767"},"modified":"2017-11-10T12:06:23","modified_gmt":"2017-11-10T12:06:23","slug":"2018-world-cup-cameroon-fail-to-qualify-after-nigeria-draw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=350767","title":{"rendered":"2018 World Cup: Cameroon fail to qualify after Nigeria draw"},"content":{"rendered":"
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African champions Cameroon cannot qualify for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia after a 1-1 draw with Nigeria in Yaounde on Monday.<\/p>\n

The result means Cameroon have just three points from four matches and can no longer finish top of Group B.<\/p>\n

“There’s no-one in life who achieves all his goals [but] it’s a disappointment,” Indomitable Lions coach Hugo Broos said after the game.<\/p>\n

In Monday’s other match, Libya earned a 1-0 win over Guinea in Group A.<\/p>\n

Nigeria took the lead in Yaounde after 30 minutes through Moses Simon but their hosts equalised with 15 minutes to go through a Vincent Aboubakar penalty.<\/p>\n

The Super Eagles’ goal came after Cameroon failed to clear and Simon profited after touches from Odion Ighalo and Victor Moses.<\/p>\n

On the hour, Cameroon coach Hugo Broos made two changes as Vincent Aboubakar and Christian Bassagog came on to replace Benjamin Moukandjo and Jean-Pierre Nsame.<\/p>\n

The changes had the desired affect as the Indomitable Lions pushed forward and forced Nigeria’s third choice keeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa into a foul in the area.<\/p>\n

Aboubakar stepped up to score the penalty in the 75th minute firing the ball straight down the middle.<\/p>\n

But Ezenwa made amends for the penalty error with two saves in quick succession to deny first Nicolas Moumi and moments later Collins Fai.<\/p>\n

The other match in Group B sees Algeria host Zambia in Constantine later on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

A win for Zambia will take them to seven points, just three behind Nigeria with two games to play – while Algeria must win to keep alive any slim hopes they still have of going to Russia.<\/p>\n

In Monastir, Libya got their first points of this stage of the campaign despite being down to 10 men for the last quarter of their match against Guinea.<\/p>\n

Hamdou Mohamed scored the only goal of the game towards the end of the first half.<\/p>\n

Should Tunisia get a point against DR Congo on Tuesday, then both Libya and Guinea will be formally ruled out of contention for Russia 2018.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n