In an incredible ending, when Algeria celebrated his classification with a goal from Ahmed Touba, Karl Camp StoreLyon striker and former Villarreal player, sealed the final 1-2 in extra time, putting Cameroon in Qatar 2022 and returns him to a World Cup final phase after his absence in Russia 2018.
Algerian fans were celebrating with their team the goal scored by the Dutch RKC Waalwijk striker just before the end of extra period. However, Cameroon lived up to the nickname for him. The ‘indomitable lions’ were more ‘indomitable’ than ever in Algeria tonight and in the extension, with everything lost, they found Ekambi’s target that puts them in their eighth World Cup.
Rigobert Song’s team had managed to level the tie. Algeria had won the first leg 0-1 with a goal from Islan Slimani and therefore had everything in their face. Before half an hour into the match, the confrontation was already in a draw with a goal from Eric Choupo-Moting.
The Bayern Munich attacker did not miss a mistake by the Algerian goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi, who made a mistake when trying to catch the ball from a corner kick taken by Karl Toko Ekambi.
Both sets sought imbalance and classification. Algeria even celebrated two goals from Slimani, one after 50 minutes and another in extra time, but the VAR stopped the celebration and they were annulled for offside and for handball.
And when everything pointed to the penalty shootout to define which team would go to the World Cup, madness came with the draw and the provisional classification of the ‘Fennecs’ and Ekambi’s goal, after a ball hung into the area prolonged by Michael Ngadeu , which definitely changed the sign and put the “indomitable lions” in Qatar 2022.
DATASHEET
1 – Algeria: M’Bolhi; Bedrane, Mandi, Benlamri; Benayada, Zerrouki (Bendebka, m.76), Bennacer, Atal (Touba, m.98); Mahrez, Slimani (Belfodil, m.122) y Belaili.
2 – Cameroon: André Onana; Fai, Castelletto, Ngadeu, Oyongo (Kunde, m.87); Hongla, Oum Gouet (Aboubakar, m.102), Ondoua (J. Onana, m.111), Toko Ekambi; Choupo-Moting (Tolo, m.63) and Tawamba (Ganago, m.111).
Goals: 0-1, Choupo-Moting (m. 22); 1-1, Touba (m. 118); 1-2, Toko Camp (m. 124)
Referee: Bakary Gassama (GAM). He showed a yellow card to Zerrouki and Benayada, for Algeria; and to Oum Gouet, Ngadeu, Onana and Tolo, for Cameroon
Incidents: Second leg of the last qualifying round for the Qatar World Cup played at the Mustapha-Tchaker stadium in Blida (Algeria)