Envoys host viewing parties for England tie in Nairobi, Yaounde

England is now set for a showdown with African champions Senegal after both teams  on Tuesday qualified for the round of 16 in Qatar.

England thrashed neighbours Wales 3-0 in a Group “B” clash thanks to contributions from Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden in the second half of the game at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium to finish top of the group with seven points — two ahead of runners-up United States of America.

The Three Lions will therefore face Group “A” runners-up Senegal who sealed their qualification after edging past Ecuador 2-1 to finish behind the Netherlands.
The Africa Cup of Nations champions were the first African nation to qualify for the knockout stages at the tournament.

Invite-only viewing

The last first round match between Wales and England took place in Doha, some 2,076 miles away from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, and 3,039 miles away from the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde, but the ambiance in the two African nations was akin to that taking place in the Qatari capital.

In Nairobi, like in Yaounde, the British communities were joined by some guests for an invite-only viewing of the game.

Jane Marriot, the British High Commissioner to Kenya, and Nigel Holmes, the Deputy British High Commissioner to Cameroon, both hosted guests at their  respective residences in Nairobi and Yaounde for ambiance-filled match viewing parties.

Among the guests in Nairobi was Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, his Trade counterpart Moses Kuria and Nation Media Group Managing Editor (Sports) Elias Makori.

Also in attendance in Yaounde, where there were about 100 guests, was firebrand opposition Member of Parliament and leader of the Cameroon Party for National Reconciliation, Cabral Libii.

NMG Cameroon correspondent, yours truly (Ndi Eugene Ndi) was also among the invitees to the Bastos British residence.

Wild celebrations

With a stuttering performance in the first half, England threw fans in Yaounde into ecstasy when Rashford converted Foden’s free-kick into a goal to give Three Lions the lead and the celebration would be wilder just seconds later as Foden netted a second for England to further dampen hopes of garnering the three points of the game for their neighbours.

The joy would be total at full time when it was three for England and nothing for Wales, giving way for more celebrations spiced by  whisky and beer.

England will clash with Senegal on Sunday.

“I watched the final of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations where Senegal defeated Egypt (in Yaounde),”  Deputy British High Commissioner Holmes said.

“It was amazing and I was supporting Senegal. I lived in Senegal for a period and I am a big fan of Senegalese football, so it is not a team I will want to play. They are a strong team, but I have confidence in England.”

The diplomat promised to talk to his counterpart at the Senegalese embassy in Yaounde for a possible joint viewing of fans for the round of 16 clash.

Unbeaten in the group stages with seven points from two victories and a draw, the Three Lions will be hoping to maintain their good run.

Senegal, who are without injured star Sadio Mane, will be going into the game hoping to better their 2002 recorded where, as debutants, they reached the knockout stage.

Money on England

In the middle of the knockout stages qualification frenzy, some England fans have already scented victory in the final.

Birmingham-based businessman Didier Roland Nana, a Cameroonian British national, who jetted into the country 10 days before the game, said he bets on  England to win the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

“Before I came to Cameroon, I made a bet England will win the World Cup, and they’ll win,” said Nana who was among the guests at the diplomat’s residence.