Ivory Coast’s Yamoussoukro (AP) – Goalie André Onana of Manchester United was left out of the Cameroon squad for the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations, despite his heroic efforts to arrive in time.
Onana made a hasty trip from England to the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro in time to play against Guinea, but he was left out of coach Rigobert Song’s team for the encounter on Monday.
After playing for United in Sunday’s Premier League match, which ended in a 2-2 tie with visiting Tottenham, Onana took a plane to Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The player then claimed that he was unable to get another flight to Yamoussoukro, necessitating that he travel by road.
A trip of this kind would typically take two and a half hours, but most travels during the competition are delayed due to excessive traffic in Abidjan and police-imposed traffic restrictions for Africa Cup security.
Following a disagreement with Song, Onana left the national team and was sent home from the 2022 World Cup. However, he later rejoined the team after seemingly regaining the coach’s trust.
