Afrigather 
The 2 former champions will battle it out for a quarterfinal ticket in Abidjan on Saturday, with the high-stakes sport prone to be selected shut margins
The much-anticipated face-off between Cameroon and Nigeria within the spherical of 16 on the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations could also be overshadowed by the absence of two key gamers, Jean-Charles Castelleto and Georges-Kévin Nkoudou, Soccernet.ng stories.
Nigeria will lock horns with Cameroon on the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan tonight, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinal of the competitors.
FC Nantes defender Castelleto and thrilling Damac FC ahead Nkoudou are going through uncertainties forward of the conflict in opposition to the Tremendous Eagles because of well being points, suspected to be associated to malaria.
In accordance with Cameroun Actuel, the duo couldn’t full their coaching on Friday, displaying signs related to the mosquito-borne illness.
Essential parts in Cameroon’s marketing campaign on the AFCON to date, Castelleto and Nkoudou have been ever-present within the beginning lineup for all their three group matches.
Castelleto’s defensive nous has been evident, and he notably contributed Cameroon’s sole objective within the 3-1 loss to Senegal.
In the meantime, Nkoudou’s playmaking skill shone by means of with three assists, together with a pivotal pair within the 3-2 overcome Gambia that secured Cameroon’s spot within the knockout stage.
This surprising setback poses a major problem for Cameroonian coach Rigobert Track, who aimed to area his full workforce for the primary time within the match.
The looming menace of malaria, prevalent in sure African areas, provides complexity to an already arduous job in opposition to Nigeria.
Nigeria, slight favourites for the encounter, boast a formidable report in opposition to Cameroon, having received 12 out of 25 encounters and misplaced solely 5 in numerous competitions.
As of the newest replace, all 25 Nigerian gamers have been declared fit for the showdown, additional amplifying the strain on Cameroon.
