The return of Andre Onana between the sticks for Cameroon did not go according to plan as he conceded three goals in a 3-1 loss against Senegal at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Ivory Coast.
Onana had missed their group C opener on January 15th, in which they drew 1-1 with Gambia with Fabrice Ondoa in goal. This absence was due to Onana staying behind to play for Manchester United in a 2-2 Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite taking a private jet to Ivory Coast to make it in time for the match, head coach Rigobert Song excluded him from the lineup, citing fatigue and the impracticality of playing two matches in two days on two continents.
However, on Friday, Onana was reinstated into the starting lineup as Ondoa took his place on the bench. Sixteen minutes into the match at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium, he conceded a goal from Ismaila Sarr.
Habib Diallo and Sadio Mane also found the target for Senegal, albeit in the second half, while Jean-Charles Castelletto scored the consolation goal for the Indomitable Lions. In total, Onana conceded three solid goals.
This was his second match for Cameroon since his spat with Song at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar which had him sent home and later announced his retirement from international football.
The 27-year-old however walked back on his decision towards the end of 2023 after talks that reconciled him with Song. He was in goal for Cameroon as they won 3-0 against Mauritius in a World Cup qualifier on November 17, 2023.
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Onana’s story at Manchester United this season is no better. He conceded at least three goals in four of their six games as United crashed out of the 2023/24 Champions League in the group stage.
The Red Devils shipped in a whopping 15 goals in the group stage, making them the first English team to do so in the competition. They finished at the bottom of their group.
In the Premier League, Onana has played all 21 games for Manchester United and conceded 29 goals. He was also in goal as Newcastle United eliminated the Old Trafford outfit with a 3-0 beating in the Carabao Cup on November 1, 2023.
In total, he has conceded 50 goals this season for both club and country—47 goals in 28 games for United in all competitions and three for Cameroon in their 3-1 loss to Senegal.
This writer asks: who is worse between Manchester United’s Andre Onana and Cameroon’s Andre Onana?
The writer is a Digital Sports Editor with seven years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital media.
