Gabon looking to have Aubameyang back vs Morocco

Gabon hopes to use captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Tuesday to play their final group stage match at the Africa Cup of Nations, following his dramatic exclusion from Friday’s 1-1 draw against Ghana in Yaounde.

Aubameyang missed Gabon’s opening game against the Comoros Islands on Monday after testing positive for COVID-19 on arrival in Cameroon for the tournament and being quarantined along with teammate Mario Lemina.

Both rejoined the squad after almost a week of isolation, training on the eve of their second Group C encounter against Ghana.

But the Confederation of African Football ordered Gabon not to use them in that game after detecting heart lesions in a post-COVID medical examination.

“They passed the PCR tests, which were negative, and then they did the second set of medical tests and it seems they both have a problem,” explains Gabon coach Patrice Neveu.

“I was on the phone with the team doctor and CAF and they said not to play against them because their health should come first.

But Neveu said he was looking forward to playing the pair against Morocco in Yaounde on Tuesday, where Gabon could still take the top spot in the group.

“There are four days before the next game and I hope to have them back because we really need them. Fortunately, CAF allowed us to go to the tournament with a squad of 28, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to handle it. This virus is persistent I had it myself, but it was gone in two days.”

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Gabon also had to do without Axel Meye, Gilchrist Nguema, Sidney Obissa and Lloyd Palun.

Gabon may not finish in the top two of their pool, but four points from their first two matches should be enough to advance to the next stage as one of the top four third-placed teams in the group stage.