Bajo, Cameroon Coach: Winning Is What Matters Most
David Bajo, head coach of the Cameroon national football team, said his side entered their match against Gabon determined to secure the points—and succeeded in doing so.
Cameroon defeated Gabon 1–0 on Wednesday in their opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking in remarks published on the Confederation of African Football’s official website, Bajo said: “It was a difficult match; it was not easy. We came here to get the three points, and we achieved our mission. That is what matters most.”
He added: “We played with great flexibility, both defensively and offensively. We still need some adjustments, but the players delivered a good performance. The team is young, and we will continue to work.”
Bajo acknowledged that mistakes occurred, but stressed there is significant room for improvement. “We won this match mentally, and we will keep progressing because we have quality within the squad,” he said.
For his part, Cédric Mbamba, assistant coach of Gabon, admitted that his team did not start the match well against Cameroon.
“Our start was not good, which made the task more difficult,” he said. “We conceded a goal due to a rebound and poor defensive organization.”
He added: “The participation of Aubameyang and Lemina was planned, but the course of the match forced us to bring them on earlier. Their experience clearly helped us. We were determined to win, but there are realities on the pitch.”
Mbamba concluded: “The Cameroon team played well and managed to protect their lead. It is now up to us to get back to work and improve our performance in the next match.”
