Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana expressed his joy in celebrating Cameroon’s advancement in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), even though he was benched in the crucial match against The Gambia.
To the surprise of many, Cameroon’s coach Rigobert Song opted not to start Onana in the must-win AFCON group game, which Cameroon won 3-2 after coming back from a two-goal deficit, eliminating The Gambia and securing a spot in the knockout stages based on goals scored.
Despite being on the bench, Onana joined his teammates in celebrating the victory, setting aside any disappointment about not playing.
In his absence, Onana’s cousin, Fabrice Ondoa, took the goalkeeper position against The Gambia and will be eager to maintain his place in what has proven to be a challenging tournament for the Manchester United goalkeeper.
Onana faced criticism for arriving late to the tournament, resulting in his being left out of the team’s opening match. He then made a crucial mistake in Cameroon’s defeat to Senegal before being benched against The Gambia.
Cameroon’s progression means that Onana will miss Manchester United’s FA Cup match against Newport County, providing Altay Bayindir with an opportunity to stake his claim at Old Trafford.
Cameroon is set to face Nigeria in the last 16 on Saturday, and it remains uncertain who Coach Song will select as the goalkeeper. Reports suggest that Onana was dropped due to an ongoing feud with Cameroon FA President Samuel Eto’o.
Meanwhile, Manchester United is scheduled to play against Newport on Sunday, where Bayindir is expected to make his first appearance since joining from Ankaragucu in the summer.