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‘He can play as a keeper’: Comoros to use outfield player in net in Afcon last-16 tie

<span>Photograph: Daniel Beloumou Olomo/AFP/Getty Images</span>
Photograph: Daniel Beloumou Olomo/AFP/Getty Images

Comoros will be forced to start an outfield player in net for their Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 clash against hosts Cameroon on Monday, as their three goalkeepers are all absent.

First choice Salim Ben Boina is missing through injury after being stretchered off in their win over Ghana, while his understudies, Moyadh Ousseini and Ali Ahamada, have tested positive for Covid.

Related: Afcon exits of Algeria and Ghana a shock but traditional minnows are catching up | Jonathan Wilson

It is a huge blow for the team as their build up to arguably the biggest match in their history. They have a total of seven players absent due to Covid, severely depleting their ranks.

An unnamed outfield player has been training as a goalkeeper in recent days to prepare him to face the tournaments top scorers, who scored seven goals in their three group matches.

The Comoros assistant manager Daniel Padovanni said: “We’ve already chosen an outfield player who will start as keeper. It’s a player who in training has shown that he can play as a keeper.”