2021 AFCON: Cameroon to confirm, Ethiopia to revive

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon will aim the three points to qualify for the next round of TotalEnergies AFCON 2021 when they face Ethiopia in the second day of the competition.

Vincent Aboubacar and his teammates, winners against Burkina Faso (2-1) in the previous match, will be happy to continue their momentum on Thursday to secure a place in the round of 16.

Antonio Conceiçao, Indomitable Lions coach will count on an already established squad for a match which promises to be within his reach against an Ethiopian team which returns to TotalEnergies AFCON after missing the last three editions (2015, 2017 and 2019).

"We prepared our match in the best conditions and with the same determination as the first match played and won against Burkina Faso. All the players are ready for Thursday's meeting," said Cameroon's coach Antonio Conceiçao.

On the Ethiopian side, Tamene's teammates only think about forgetting the stinging defeat last Sunday against Cape Verde (1-0) to maintain their chances to qualify for the next round of the tournament.

Winners of the 1962 edition, the Walya will play their game on Thursday against Cameroon with an offensive tactical scheme to unlock the game from the start.

For Ethiopia's coach Wubetu Abate, Thursday's game will be decisive. "We will play our chances to the end, especially as we will face a great team from Cameroon. We are proud to represent our country in this tournament and that boosts us even more. We will play against the host country, in front of their home crowd. He is a strong opponent but we will do our best to have a good game, "said Abate.

What they said during the pre-match press conference:

• Antonio Conceiçao (Coach, Cameroon):

"We prepared our match against Ethiopia with the same confidence as in the first match. We will apply our strategy to win, work to win, work for recovery. All players are ready for this meeting. We respect the health rules to avoid contamination with COVID and I would like to thank the medical staff of the team for all the work done since the start of the preparation course. "

• Samuel Oum Gouet (Player, Cameroon):

"We are preparing the match against Ethiopia calmly with the same determination of the first match won against Burkina Faso. We live in a bubble to avoid contamination with COVID and are working hard for this tournament. With Ethiopia, it will be different but we must continue our momentum and win the match ".

• Wubetu Abate (Coach, Ethiopia):

"Against Cape Verde, we lost a player on expulsion very early on and we were forced to play in numerical inferiority. Before the AFCON, we played very good matches and always good starts. We hope to play a good game against Cameroon and try to do our best to achieve a positive result.

• Mesud Mussa (Player, Ethiopia):

"For most of the players on our team, this is the first big tournament that we are playing. We don't have that international experience, it's true, but we will prepare ourselves calmly to give the best of ourselves in this tournament. ".