Finally, in a spiky, ill-tempered quarter-final, there was something more like the Morocco that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup two years ago. If the game wasn’t fluent, that was largely Cameroon’s doing as they spoiled and delayed and sought treatment for injuries. View image in fullscreen Ismael Saibari scores his team’s second goal during the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final against Cameroon. Cameroon were furious at the late change, and were upset with a number of Beida’s decisions, but he wasn’t the reason Cameroon lost. For those countries who have qualified for the World Cup, a Cup of Nations six months before the main event is a double-edged sword.

Source: The Guardian January 10, 2026 09:55 UTC