Comoros forced to use outfield player in goal with makeshift number at AFCON

Comoros left-back Chaker Alhadhur has been forced to play in goal for his country's Africa Cup of Nations last-16 fixture against tournament hosts Cameroon.

Minnows Comoros are in the midst of an injury crisis mixed with a rise in Covid-19 cases that has drastically scuppered their already slim chances of progression into the quarter-finals.

First-choice shot-stopper Salim Ben Boina is sidelined with an injury and both deputies in Moyadh Ousseini and Ali Ahamada are ruled out of the clash with Covid-19.

As a result, Alhadhur was selected to take his place between the sticks in their respective absences and, according to the country's backroom staff, it was a decision made long before kick-off.

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Comoros goalkeeper coach Jean-Daniel Padovani revealed last week that the team had already made their mind up as to which outfield player would take on goalkeeping responsibilities.

Though it is thought that Alhadhur has never gone in goal for a professional fixture, Padovani insisted he has impressed during training sessions.

"It's a player who in training has shown that he can play as a keeper," he told the media.

Fans were kept in the dark as to who it might be until the starting eleven was announced an hour before kick-off and Alhadhur was the confirmed as 'keeper for the evening.

Though he dons the Comoros shirt, Alhadhur was born in France and has spent the entirety of his playing career there and currently plies his trade for Ligue 2 outfit Ajaccio.

Alhadhur usually wears the number 16 shirt for his country, but opted to make the No.3 out of tape and place it over the 16 still printed on his jersey.

Nearing the twilight of his career, the 30-year-old first featured for Comoros in a friendly against Burkina Faso in 2014.

He held down a spot as a first-team regular for years before a cruciate ligament injury ruled him out for the latter stages of their qualification campaign for this year's tournament.

As a result, Alhadhur hadn't actually featured for his country during this year's Africa Cup of Nations before his stint between the sticks and was an unused substitute for each of the team's three group stage matches against Gabon, Morocco and Ghana.

Comoros have been up against it nearly all tournament, with regular goalkeeper Ben Boina sustaining his injury in the nation's opening game against Ghana.

Second-choice Ahamada took over the mantle for the remaining group stage fixtures but both he and his deputy Ousseni have gone on to test positive for Covid-19.

The makeshift keeper was forced to play with just nine outfield teammates in front of him for the majority of the game following Jimmy Abdou's 7th minute red-card.

Alhadhur, unsurprisingly, failed to keep a clean sheet after getting nowhere near Karl Toko Ekambi's relatively tame first-half effort to put the hosts 1-0 up.

Comoros were eventually dumped out of the competition after Cameroon ran out 2-1 victors despite a valiant effort from Alhadhur.