Comoros borders on a historic feat playing without a goalkeeper

The refusal of Ali Ahamada, one of the Comoros goalkeepers, a few hours before facing Cameroon gave a glimmer of hope to the tiny Indian country of being able to play against the host of the African Cup without having to place an outfield player in the goal (the other two goalkeepers were injured). But the CAF did not allow it. A last minute change in the medical guidelines, issued by the health authorities, dictates that a player who has tested positive is obliged “to remain in confinement for five days”. For all this, Chaker Alhadhur, Ajaccio’s left-back, was the great protagonist of the umpteenth grotesque experience in this CAN by playing the most important game in the history of his team as a goalkeeper. The outcome, obviously, was as expected: Cameroon eliminated Comoros (2-1) and went to the quarterfinals.

With the number ‘3’ written with tape on the 16 of his teammate Ahamada, Alhadur did what he could and more. Most likely, a professional goalkeeper would have stopped Ekambi’s weak shot at 1-0., but for the rest, reaching a low shot close to the post is like surviving in Game of Thrones as a Lannister. It is not impossible, but it is extremely difficult. That happened in the 30′. Until then, Cameroon did not test its innocent victim, perhaps out of compassion. And although he did not have to intervene with his hands in the first half, Alhadur did participate several times in a suicide game by Comores, using him outside the area as a sweeper to get the ball. He had no other. At 6 minutes his teammate Abdou was sent off for stamping Choupo-Moting on the upper part of the left ankle. In the first instance, the referee only pointed out the fault but the VAR, in an act of cruelty, urged him to see the entrance again and show the red card.

With one less and no goalkeeper, a massacre was coming, but this African Cup is indecipherable in all its senses. Aboubakar, top scorer of the tournament, took three shots to beat Alhadur. The first hit the post and the second left the image of the game, a reflex save that any goalkeeper in the competition would have signed. Already on the third attempt, the Cameroonian took advantage of his rival’s lack of experience under the sticks to beat him in the small area where Alhadur was defeated before he put together his shot.

Despite the gigantic adversity, Comoros did not give up in an almost unprecedented show of courage and bravery in a match with such inequality, both circumstantial and sporting. M’changama closed the gap with just over five minutes remaining with what is probably the goal of the tournament: he fired a dry free-kick from 35 meters away that slipped through the top corner. In the end, Comoros was eliminated, but they can leave with their heads held high. It was impossible to do more with less.