The Super Eagles of Nigeria are set for a massive showdown against perennial archrival, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in an AFCON 2019 Round of 16 fixture, with the two sides’ coaches presenting some interesting factors, Completesports.com reports.
Interestingly, Nigeria coach, Gernot Rohr, and his Cameroon counterpart, Clarence Seedorf have some things in common going into the winner takes all clash.
Rohr and Seedorf are in charge of two West African football superpowers and have toed the same line in terms of players utilization in the group matches of the ongoing AFCON in Egypt.
Seedorf used 18 players to prosecute the group stage which saw Cameroon slip from the summit of Group F to the second spot, behind another West African rivals, Ghana.
The former Holland international have not featured the quartet of Fabrice Ondoa, Idriss Carlos Kameni, Jacques Zoua and Wilfred Kaptoum who are part of the 23-man Cameroon squad.
The former AC Milan midfielder also changed his tactical formation in all three group games; used 4-3-3 in their win against Guinea Bissau, then 3-4-3 in the draw against Ghana and finally 4-4-2 in the draw against Benin. These diverse formations have also seen Seedorf trying several players in different positions all through the group phase which attracted a measure of criticism from the Cameroonian press who were of the opinion that the coach is still in search of his first team.
Similarly, Rohr used 18 players during the group phase, with the quartet of Francis Uzoho, Jamilu Collins, Henry Onyekuru and Victor Osimhen as the players yet to Egypt 2019 action.
Rohr has also constantly changed his tactical approach in the group phase, using different starting lineups in the 1-0 win over Burundi, 1-0 win over Guinea and the 2-0 loss to Madagascar, while trying out some players in different roles in the process.
The Nigeria coach has also come under intense criticism for experimenting with the team in the tournament as many questioned his inability to discover his best starting team all through the Group B games.
Cameroon who are defending champions, enjoy solid dominance over Nigeria in AFCON finals having beaten Nigeria to the trophy in three finals; in 1984, 1988 and 2000.
On the other hand, Nigeria have managed to bag a draw and two wins against Cameroon in the AFCON finals. A 1-1 draw in the group stage in 1988, a 2-1 win in the 3rd-Place match in 1992 and a 2-1 win in the quarterfinals in 2004.
Both coaches will be out to out-do each other when their respective teams file out on Saturday at the Alexandria Stadium as the Nigeria – Cameroon football rivalry takes another centre stage.
By Sulaiman Alao
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