Gambia - Cameroon predictions and free betting tips [23/01/2024]

Today, at the third round in Group C at the Africa Cup of Nations, the teams of The Gambia and Cameroon, who have lost their chance at direct progression from the group, will face off.

Gambia national team

Gambia is experiencing a difficult start at the Africa Cup of Nations, having lost their first two matches. In their recent match, Coach Tom Saintfiet's squad fell to Guinea without a single hit on target, bested in all conceivable metrics, failing to create any dangerous situations, and favouring tactics of minor fouls to keep the Guinean team at bay. In the first round, the Gambians endured a 0:3 defeat at the hands of a formidable Senegal team, where Gueye netted the first goal at the 4th minute, with Kamara and Sarra padding the score further. From the 45th minute, The Gambia played a man short due to Adams's ejection and showed nothing worthwhile.

Leading up to the tournament, the Gambian team grappled with serious issues: a handful of players passed out due to oxygen shortage aboard the aircraft resulting in an emergency landing, and a training boycott unfolded over financial disagreements. The squad includes distinguished players like Besiktas' Omar Colley and strikers Musa Barrow and Ablie Jallow, although their efforts to date have been insufficient for achieving success at the tournament.

The Gambian team's recent matches ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations went awry. In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, they fell to Côte d'Ivoire 0:2 on November 20, 2023. On November 16, 2023, in the World Cup qualifiers, they lost to Burundi with a scoreline of 3:2, and tied 2:2 against Congo on September 10, 2023, in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Cameroon national team

The Cameroon team once again disappoints at the Africa Cup of Nations, this time succumbing to Senegal with a 1:3 scoreline in the second round. The squad's sole goal came from defender Kasteletto in the 83rd minute, but it wasn't enough to turn the tide. The Cameroonian attack, yet again, was lacking in inspiration, especially after conceding the first goal. In the tournament's first round, the squad managed a 1:1 draw against Guinea, levelling the score only at the 54th minute thanks to the endeavour of Magri, who capitalised on an assist by N'Koudou. Despite dominating ball possession, the Cameroonians managed only three shots on target.

Rigobert Song's Cameroon team faced an unexpected goalkeeping decision. Manchester United's Andre Onana was not named for the first round, but then made the starting list in the subsequent two matches, where his performance raised eyebrows, particularly in the second match against Senegal. The team also lost Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo to injury. The squad includes players such as Zambo Anguissa, Ntcham, Keman, and Elliott, but they could not generate a threat without set-piece situations. A scandal with Choupo-Moting and the absence of a call-up for Matip also took their toll on the morale. More was expected from offensive potentials Aboubakar, Ngamaleu and Clinton N'Jie, yet they have failed to deliver, with the exception of N'Koudou's assist in the first round.

The Cameroonian team's latest matches prior to the Africa Cup of Nations resulted in a draw with Zambia, Libya and victory over Mauritius. However, those results do not accurately reflect the team's prowess at the tournament, where much more is anticipated from Song's squad.

Head-to-Head

On all three occasions at the Africa Cup of Nations, the Cameroonian team came out on top against The Gambia. These matches took place on January 29, 2022 (2:0), September 3, 2016 (2:0) and September 6, 2015 (1:0), denoting a definitive edge for the Cameroonians in head-to-head duels.

Prediction for the Senegal - Cameroon match

Andre Onana's performance in the second match emphasises Cameroon's hopelessness, incapable of creating anything in the forward area beyond crosses. With Anguissa, the midfield workforce linking defence and attack, yet to make an impactful difference, Rigobert Song's team stands as one of the major let-downs of the Cup along with the tournament hosts. However, in their match against The Gambia, who have not scored a single goal at the tournament and failed to create any sound opportunities, Cameroon has the potential to capture victory, thanks to some individual feats.