Karl Etta Eyong’s early goal secured a 1-0 victory for Cameroon over Gabon in their opening match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations held in Agadir on Wednesday.

The Indomitable Lions started brightly, aiming to exploit any sluggishness from their Central African neighbours. Their strategy paid dividends when Bryan Mbeumo’s incisive pass found Eyong, who calmly slotted the ball past Gabon goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba in the opening stages.

The goal stood after a VAR review confirmed Eyong was onside. Gabon coach Thierry Mouyouma responded with a double substitution in the 33rd minute, bringing on Mario Lemina and, surprisingly, captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was widely expected to miss the game due to a thigh injury.

“We needed to change the dynamic of the game, and bringing on Aubameyang was a risk worth taking,” Mouyouma stated after the match. “He brings a different energy to the attack.”

Gabon’s best opportunity to equalize came in the 72nd minute when Royce Openda forced an excellent save from Cameroon’s Devis Epassy following a well-weighted pass from Andre Poko.

Cameroon nearly extended their lead moments later, but Frank Magri’s header from a Mbeumo corner struck the crossbar with a deflection off Jacques Ekomie.

The victory marks a positive start for Cameroon under new coach David Pagou, who recently replaced Marc Brys. Key players Andre Onana and Vincent Aboubakar were absent from the squad, alongside the injured Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa.

“It was important to get the win, especially considering the challenges we faced leading up to the tournament,” said Pagou. “The players showed great character and determination.”

Aubameyang’s introduction injected some life into Gabon’s attack, but they struggled to break down a resolute Cameroon defence. The Panthers continued to push for an equaliser in the closing stages, but Mbaba was called into action to deny Mbeumo a second goal.

Both teams will be back in action on Sunday, with Gabon facing Mozambique in Agadir, while Cameroon take on defending champions Ivory Coast in Marrakech at 8:00 PM local time.

This result concludes the first round of group stage matches in Morocco, maintaining a perfect record of no goalless draws at the tournament so far.

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