Spirit carries Cameroon to unlikely ANC final

Samuel Eto'o

ACCRA - Cameroon midfielder Geremi believes team spirit was crucial to his side's victory over Ghana in the semi-finals of the African Nations Cup on Thursday.


The Indomitable Lions produced a gutsy performance in front of a capacity 40,000 spectators at the Ohene Djan Stadium to edge out the hosts by a solitary goal.


Substitute Alain Nkong scored 19 minutes from the end in Accra, but the game will be remembered for the bizarre moment when defender Andre Bikey pushed over a member of the medical staff, who had come on to the field to treat Rigobert Song.


That moment of madness earned Bikey a straight red card, meaning he will miss Sunday's final against Egypt.


However, it did not stop his team-mates from celebrating their victory.


"We are very happy of course, because we have reached the final in Ghana and beat the hosts," said Geremi. "It's really something special.


"I think the spirit of the Indomitable Lions carried us through. Most of the time, when we play the team which has organised (the competition), we do very well and beat them.


"Ghana had no weaknesses. I think it was a good game. It was a great game for the spectators and everyone else who watched the game. But I think we did better on the night, which was the difference."


Geremi also had a message for all those who criticised his team for being too old.


"This win is the answer," he said. "Why people say Cameroon is old, I don't know. We were strong and have showed them.


"Of course, the best of Cameroon is still to come in the final. We are here to win."


Geremi's team-mate Joseph-Desire Job was also thrilled with the result, saying it was the perfect reply to the team's critics.


He said: "Nobody believed that Cameroon would be in the final and we have now surprised them all and got there.


"The game was hard, but we knew that every time you play against the hosts the game is tough. We knew this but we are Cameroon and we once again showed that Cameroon is even stronger.


"We don't want to stop here, we want to win the final now, so we will just wait until Sunday and then try to win the cup."


Ghana coach Claude Le Roy lamented his side's luck, admitting that injuries and suspensions had cost them dearly.


Captain John Mensah was dismissed in the quarter-final against Nigeria, ruling him out, while Asamoah Gyan and Laryea Kingston were both injured.


In the skipper's absence, Michael Essien was shifted to the back four, meaning the Black Stars missed his energetic presence in midfield.


Le Roy said: "It was a difficult time for us. The problem, I think, is the red card of John Mensah and the injury of the two key players.


"I had to make a lot of adjustments to my team. We tried to find new solutions to new problems at all times, but we were not successful."