AFCON 2015: Côte d’Ivoire vs Cameroon Draw Sparks Controversy
The final Group D match of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers between Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon has sparked outrage across the football world, with many calling the final minutes of the encounter in Abidjan a disgrace to football.
With both teams already in favorable positions—Cameroon having already secured qualification and Côte d’Ivoire needing only a point to go through—the match ended in a goalless draw that many critics say was pre-arranged in spirit, if not officially.
The last half-hour descended into what many observers described as a “parody of football”. After Cameroonian captain Stéphane Mbia was sent off, Cameroon sat back, content with the draw. Despite their numerical advantage, the Elephants showed little urgency. The final moments of the match featured defenders like Kolo Touré simply passing the ball among themselves while the Cameroonians stood motionless on the other side of the pitch—hands on hips, watching the clock run down.
Côte d’Ivoire coach Hervé Renard publicly criticized how the situation was handled:
“It’s true, I didn’t really appreciate what happened at the end of the match. It could have been done much better. Cameroon wanted to maintain their unbeaten run, even with ten men, so they stayed back. A draw was enough for us, but I told Kolo Touré afterward: ‘I understand your caution, but it wasn’t respectable football. It was done poorly.’”
Touré reportedly justified the behavior by recalling the team’s painful World Cup elimination due to a late Greek goal, saying he didn’t want to risk repeating history.
The match ended not only in controversy on the pitch but off it as well, as fans invaded the pitch, further marring the image of the event.
Observers and fans across Africa are calling for CAF to investigate and potentially sanction the teams involved for unsportsmanlike conduct. With the video of the incident now circulating widely online, the debate is unlikely to die down soon.
🎥 Watch the controversial ending
CAF’s response is eagerly awaited.
