16 hours ago
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ABUJA – Team Nigeria suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat to Cameroon in the semi-finals of the football event at the ongoing 2024 African Military Games (AMGA).
The highly competitive match, held in Rabat, Morocco, remained goalless at the end of regulation time, but a decisive goal during extra time dashed Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the final.
Speaking after the match, head coach of Team Nigeria, Captain Bayo Adekunle, praised his team’s resilience.
“It was a tough game, and the boys gave their all. Unfortunately, football can be unforgiving, and we lost to a single moment. We’ll regroup and focus on winning the bronze medal,” he said.
Meanwhile, Algeria booked their spot in the final after defeating Equatorial Guinea 2-0 in a dominant display during the other semi-final.
The results set the stage for Saturday’s grand finale between Cameroon and Algeria, while Nigeria will battle Equatorial Guinea for the third-place position.
Team captain of Cameroon, Sergeant Pierre Nkouka, expressed optimism ahead of the final.
“Nigeria gave us a good fight, but we remained determined. Now, our focus is on making history by winning the trophy,” he noted.
This year’s AMGA, which runs from November 18 to 30, features over 1,625 athletes from 21 African countries competing in 20 sports.
The tournament, in its second edition, has been lauded for fostering unity and promoting excellence among Africa’s military personnel.
With Nigeria’s hopes of clinching the football gold dashed, fans are looking forward to seeing the team redeem their campaign in the bronze medal match against Equatorial Guinea.
