Young Lions impress Milla
HIT by withdrawals of senior players from their Africa Cup of Nations squad, Cameroon’s young legion have exceeded expectations, taking even one of their greats by surprise.
Roger Milla, pictured, Cameroon’s undisputed legend, could be found walking the streets of Libreville and posing for selfies with fans wearing an ever-present grin.
It was a smile he could afford a day after he had watched the Indomitable Lions defy the odds and bundle overwhelming favourites Senegal out of the tournament in Franceville at the weekend.
Cameroon now take on Ghana in an epic semifinal on Thursday, a prospect that had looked highly unlikely after eight of their stars – including Joel Matip and Andre Onana – refused to honour the call-up to represent their country in Gabon.
“I’m sure wherever they are, those players have a big regret,” the grey-haired Milla, 64, said as he took a break from a family luncheon at a restaurant on Libreville’s beachfront.
“I was never worried [about the withdrawals] because I knew we had too many players in Cameroon. The ones who have come in have shown determination. It has never been a problem for us – you come or don’t come, we are fine. I’m sure those players are a bit jealous now seeing what these boys have achieved.”
The Cameroonians have indeed shown they are perfectly fine after qualifying unbeaten from Group A, which included the hosts Gabon. But it was Saturday’s heroic effort in the quarterfinal against Senegal, where they repelled several attacks and forced extra time before triumphing on penalties, that showed their young team could produce a shock and reclaim continental glory for the first time since 2002. Milla, however, is not getting too excited. “I don’t think we are favourites [despite local support]. We came here to get some experience so that we can be strong for the World Cup qualifiers and also do well in the next Nations Cup, which we will host in 2019,” added the 64year-old.