Gazelle pips Fortuna to sneak into playoffs spot
By Ngome Michael
Gazelle FA of Garoua has beaten AS Fortuna 2-0 to bolster chances of sealing a spot in the 2024 Elite one Championship title. It is just the side’s second participation in the Cameroon top flight.
Two goals in both halves at the Olembe Annex Stadium earned maximum points for the Northerners who finished overall fourth last season. Victory meant they move into 4th spot in Group A after Matchday-16 at the expense of Bamboutos that lost to Canon.
Alioum Kaba switched from 4-3-3 formation at the weekend to 5-5-1 introducing Tchoanfine in center back for Aziz Moubarak with Marcelin Mbahbi back in goal while Daura Serges led the attack suported by Colbert Binni and Kalgon Kada on the flanks.
Daura from his midfield role three days back, to attack paid dividends in just seven minutes of a slow start from which a long one from the halfway line found the alerted striker who quickly marshaled the AS Fortuna defender to open scores.
Fortuna playing at home for the second time in three days hoped to regain momentum from a late stalemate against Colombe. The Reds from conceding, quickly took over control with complete passes towards the Gazelle goal but in most cases were repelled or let down by a another misjudged pass in the last moment.
They however came close on two occasions from well placed set-pieces on either flanks but the resulting headers, on both instances where perfectly delt with by Marcelin Mbahbi who earned himself a cleansheet.
Gazelle didn’t really fashion out a scoring chance since taking the driving seat but, most importantly preserved her lead jealously till half-time.
AS Fortuna upon resumption did not look like side trailling, with few threatening chances created, switching to long balls that were more or less frustrating.
Substitutions were conducted on both ends but the outcome went on to favor the visitors ten minutes late.
In a moment of commotion inside the Fortuna box had Gazelle appealed for a penalty but recieved a conerkick instead which resulted to Arsène Mekila adding Fortuna’s woe with a shot from range.
Nothing changed in the final 20minutes as Gazelle gripped fourth place before vist to Dynamo and closing the round at home to PWD. AS Fortuna, has little to fight for with just 14points host Union of Douala land Douala in the remaining fixtures.
