AFCON Group Stage: Senegal vs Cameroon Odds
Senegal Win Clinches Knockout Stage Berth
Defending Champions Take on Indomitable Lions
Senegal kicked off their Africa Cup of Nations title defense with a victory on Monday and are off to a great start. The Lions of Teranga will take on the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Friday in the second group stage game. Cameroon drew vs. Guinea on Monday and will be gunning for a result vs. Senegal. As two of Africa’s best national teams meet, we’ll preview the Senegal vs Cameroon odds. If Senegal win, they’ll clinch a spot in the knockout stage with a game to spare.
Senegal vs Cameroon
Date, time:
Location: Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro, Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast
Streaming: Live Sports Stream
Head-to-Head
This is the seventh chance to bet on the Senegal vs Cameroon odds at the Africa Cup of Nations all-time. Cameroon have won just one of the six previous meetings, in 90 minutes. Senegal hold a 2-3-1 record vs. Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations but Senegal have lost in penalties twice to Cameroon following draws in the knockout stage. These teams last met in a friendly in October, where Senegal’s Sadio Mane scored the game’s only goal. None of the last nine meetings, in all competitions, have finished with more than two goals.
Senegal Off to Perfect Start
Senegal opened up their Africa Cup of Nations title defense with a match vs. Gambia on Monday. It didn’t take long for the Lions of Teranga to get on the scoresheet as Pape Gueye opened up their account four minutes in. Sadio Mane was in acres of space and laid the ball off for Gueye to finish. Edouard Mendy made a superb save for Senegal in the first half but wasn’t called into action much throughout the course of the game.
In the second half, Senegal midfielder Lamine Camara scored twice and his second goal was a thing of beauty. He curled a first-time strike into the top corner to make the game 3-0. That’s how proceedings finished and it was a perfect start for Senegal. Mendy and Senegal’s defense deserve quite a lot of credit, as they’ve kept five clean sheets in their last five games, in all competitions.
Senegal also won without midfielders Pape Matar Sarr and Idrissa Gueye. The duo, who play for Tottenham and Everton, respectively, picked up injuries in December and are still recovering. They are both in the squad and may recover in time for Friday’s match. In any case, Camara made a strong case to start again based on his two-goal performance. Senegal are one of the deepest teams in the tournament and they’re the second-highest ranked African team in the FIFA World Rankings. According to the soccer betting odds, they have a +550 shot to repeat as champions.
Aboubakar Questionable for Cameroon
Cameroon kicked off the Africa Cup of Nations with a match vs. Guinea. A wayward backpass by Cameroon midfielder Olivier Kemen while he was under pressure allowed Guinea’s Mohamed Bayo to score just ten minutes into the match. Guinea’s captain, Francois Kamano, picked up a red card just before half time, which allowed the Indomitable Lions back into the match. Frank Magri headed home a Georges N’Koudou cross in the 51st minute to equalize.
With Guinea playing with ten men, Cameroon had a lot of chances but couldn’t find a winner. Cameroon were also without forward and captain Vincent Aboubakar. Aboubakar, who has scored 37 goals for the national team, got hurt in training. His injury is apparently minor but it remains to be seen whether he’ll suit up on Friday. Andre Onana is in contention to start in goal after he opted to play in Manchester United’s match vs. Tottenham last Sunday rather than Cameroon’s opener.
Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo missed the tournament with an injury. Meanwhile, Rigobert Song decided not to name Bayern Munich’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in his squad. Cameroon finished first in Group C in the Africa Cup of Nations qualification standings but they’ve underperformed lately. The Indomitable Lions have won just two of their last ten matches heading into this one.
Match Analysis & Odds
The Senegal vs Cameroon odds unsurprisingly list Senegal as -105 ATS and moneyline favorites for Friday’s match. Senegal, with Kalidou Koulibaly and Moussa Niakhate at the back, are a difficult team to break down. Without Aboubakar at 100 percent for Cameroon, their offensive potential is limited. Cameroon are +300 sports betting underdogs for this one and they’ll at least be looking for a point in this one.
Cameroon +0.5 does come in at -115 odds and they’ve drawn each of their last three matches by a 1-1 scoreline. Here, another draw is priced at +230 odds but Senegal will be looking to clinch knockout stage qualification early. Although Mane didn’t get on the scoresheet in Senegal’s first match, he was the MVP of the tournament a couple of years ago.
The former Liverpool man scored three goals and two assists en route to Senegal’s first-ever AFCON triumph. Senegal got on the scoresheet three times on Monday but under two goals display -120 odds for Friday’s match.
