Andre Onana flew more than 8,000 km to Ivory Coast to attend the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), but was not included in the list for Cameroon's opening match.
After Man Utd drew 2-2 with Tottenham in the Premier League on January 14, Onana immediately boarded a late flight to Ivory Coast to play in the African Cup of Nations with Cameroon. Due to fog, the plane was unable to land in Yamoussoukro, where Cameroon played their opening match on January 15, and was diverted to Abidjan. The 27-year-old goalkeeper then had to catch another flight to get to his destination.
Onana's total journey was 8,046 km. Having only arrived at Charles Konan Banny Stadium three hours before kick-off, the Man Utd goalkeeper was not included in the match list. Coach Rigobert Song started Fabrice Ondoa, with Devis Epassy and Simon Ngapandouetnbu as reserve goalkeepers.
Onana played in the match Man Utd drew 2-2 with Tottenham in round 21 of the Premier League on January 14, at Old Trafford. Photo: AMA
Onana was immediately angry when he learned of the coach's decision. "If I wasn't playing or on the squad, why would I have to charter a private plane to come here?" some newspapers quoted Onana as saying.
According to the Daily Mail , former Senegal star El Hadji Diouf had to go and reassure the Man Utd goalkeeper. Meanwhile, coach Song still defended his stance of not letting Onana play, but affirmed that Onana is still part of the team and he will be considered for the next matches.
Onana and Song's relationship has been strained since the 2022 World Cup. The 27-year-old goalkeeper was expelled from the tournament in Qatar after a dispute with his coach over his playing style. He announced his retirement from international football shortly after the incident, but changed his mind and returned to play for Cameroon last year.
In the match on January 15, Mohamed Bayo surprisingly opened the scoring for Guinea in the 10th minute, before captain Francois Kamano was sent off in first-half stoppage time. Frank Magri, the victim of the collision, equalized in the second half for Cameroon with a header from a cross by Georges-Kevin Nkoudou.
In the other Group C match, defending champions Senegal beat Gambia 3-0. The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will feature 24 teams divided into six groups. The top two teams in each group and the four best third-placed teams will advance to the round of 16.
Onana won the Italian Cup, Italian Super Cup and reached the Champions League final last season with Inter. However, after joining Man Utd in the summer of 2023, the Cameroonian goalkeeper has been inconsistent. He made mistakes leading to three defeats and a draw in the Champions League group stage, leaving the "Red Devils" at the bottom of the table with four points. After being eliminated from the Champions League and the League Cup, Man Utd only have a chance in the Premier League and the FA Cup.
Thanh Quy (according to Daily Mail )
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