AFCON 2023: Injury Boost for Cameroon's Indomitable Lions Ahead of Knockout Clash vs Nigeria

• Cameroon will have two of their key players back for the Round of 16
• The Indomitable Lions are set to meet Nigeria in the knockout stage
• Cameroon are bidding to claim the AFCON trophy for the sixth time

Cameroon has been handed a double boost ahead of their Round of 16 encounter against the Super Eagles with the return of Vincent Aboubakar and Clinton N'Jie.

Both players missed all three matches in the group phase for the Indomitable Lions after joining the team in Ivory Coast with injuries of varying degrees of severity.

According to All Nigeria Soccer, Aboubakar and N'Jie returned to group training and completed all of the workouts without trouble during Cameroon’s training session in Bouake on January 24.

The national team captain and the former Tottenham Hotspur winger are expected to play a part during the crunch tie against Nigeria due to their experience facing the Super Eagles in the past.

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Aboubakar netted against Nigeria in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Yaounde in 2017, while N’Jie was on target against them in their Round of 16 AFCON clash at the Alexandria Stadium in 2019.

Nigeria pray for 2019 miracle

Meanwhile, Nigeria will be hoping for a repeat of their 2019 AFCON victory over Cameroon when they eliminated the Indomitable Lions in the Round of 16, Channels reports.

A brace from Odion Ighalo and Alex Iwobi ensured the Super Eagles triumphed over their arch-rivals, winning 3-2 in the tense encounter at the Alexandria Stadium in Egypt.

Both teams will meet again in the Round of 16 in Ivory Coast five years later after the Indomitable Lions and the Super Eagles both sealed qualification to the knockout stage.

Injured Super Eagles star returns

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that injured Super Eagles midfielder, Alhassan Yusuf, who missed much of the group stages, has returned to training with the first team.

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The 23-year-old midfielder sustained an injury during Nigeria's first AFCON match against Equatorial Guinea and has remained sidelined despite an impressive showing.

Yusuf's return from injury is timely for the West African powerhouses, especially as the Super Eagles prepare for a physically difficult match against rivals, Cameroon.