Category: Sports

By Stephen TADAHA

In two matches at the Men’s Handball Africa Cup of Nations currently taking place in Egypt, Cameroon’s National team has won one against Congo 25-21 and lost the other to Guinea 19-23.

With these contrasting results, the Handball Lions’ destiny is partially in their hands given that they are still second in group B of the competition and only the first two qualify per group to the knockout stage.

Ahead of their umpteenth clash with the continent’s giants and hosts Egypt on Sunday January 21, a win by the lions and a victory by Congo over Guinea, can secure qualification to the next round.

Limiting the damages against Egypt means the boys of Tagne Placide should avoid defeat by a large margin ( for example 10 goals difference), because others were largely beaten by the title holders.

Egypt 33-15 Guinea (+18)

Egypt 34-19 Congo (+15)

If this possibility holds, the Lions’ chances will now depend on the Guinea vs Congo encounter.

Guinea are third with 2 points and a goal difference of –
14 while Congo tail the group with zero point and a goal difference of – 19. A win or a draw for Guinea will shatter Cameroon’s hopes while the hopes will remain intact if Congo beat Guinea.

Worth noting is the fact that Cameroon’s National team has never won the tournament in 17 previous participations. The team’s best result was the second spot obtained at their first participation in 1974 in Tunisia. Since the 5th place obtained in 2016, Cameroon has been dangling between the 9th and 15th places.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

By Biwah Bryan

The Indomitable Lions’ hopes of reaching the next round of the 2023 African Nations Cup are now uncertain after Guinea’s victory over Gambia in their second AFCON match.

The lions failed to win any of their 2 group matches, holding only one point in their 2 outings, while Guinea now holds 4 points in 2 outings following their narrow 1-0 win over Gambia.

At the moment, Senegal lead Group C with six points, Guinea follow with 4 points, Cameroon with one point and Gambia is yet to have a point.

If Guinea manages to beat Senegal in their final match, they will finish at the top of Group C with seven points, and Cameroon’s fate will depend on them being one of the top four third-placed teams.

However, if Senegal beats Guinea, Cameroon must win their game against Gambia by a wide margin in order to secure second place in the group with goal difference.

If Senegal and Guinea draw their final match, Cameroon’s fate will still hang on being among the top four third-placed teams, but If Cameroon i
s beaten by Gambia then it is over

It is important to note that eight teams will be eliminated after the first round, while the top two teams from each group will be joined by the best four third-placed teams to the knockout stage.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Cameroon’s senior men’s national team searches for their first win at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) against defending champions, Senegal on Friday.

Holders, Teranga Lions began their title defense with a comfortable 3-0 win over ten-man Gambia.

This came after favorites like Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, and Ghana failed to deliver wins in round one.

The win extended the 2021 champions’ unbeaten run in the competition to eight matches (six wins and two draws).

They next face the Indomitable Lions, a team that knocked them out of the cup in 2017.

Anything less than a victory for Rigobert Song’s side will see them in a dicey situation to qualify for the Round of 16.

Early exit seemed unlikely as the Central African side have progressed from ten of their last 11 AFCON group stages.

Key to this quest is the return of Manchester United goalkeeper, Andre Onana who has joined the team after featuring for the Red Devils over the weekend.

It will be a game Cameroon will have to be up and doing after faili
ng to keep a clean sheet in their last three games.

Lamine Camara scored two goals when Senegal beat Gambia 3-0 and is expected to play a crucial role for his team.

Trying to outdo Camara will be the Lions’ lone goal scorer Frank Magri who also scored for his club Toulouse in a 3-0 victory over Camara’s Metz in the French Ligue 1 this season.

It promises to be a star match of the day as far as the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is concerned on Friday, the same manner as the Cote D’Ivoire vs Nigeria clash was highly anticipated on Thursday.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

The indomitable lions of Cameroon bowed to the Terenga lions of Senegal in a disappointing 3-1 defeat In their second group C match of the 2023 African Nations Cup.

With great tactical prowess, the Terenga lions exhibited their superiority, scoring barely 16 minutes into the game when Pape Sar’s precise pass connected with Ismaila who took the shot.

Despite some attempts to regain control, the indomitable lions struggled to keep up with Senegal’s high pressing and eventually conceded the second goal in the 71st minute through Habib Daillo.

Olivier Ntcham then came off the bench to lace one for Jean Castelletto who headed home in the 80th minute, giving the Lions a glimmer of hope.

The lions’ hopes of equalizing were eventually crushed when Sadio Mane found the back of the net with an assist from Pape Gueye, ultimately ending the game 3-1 in Senegal’s favour.

This victory secures Senegal’s qualification to the next stage of the competition while the indomitable lions of Cameroon must now fight harder to
stay in the race for qualification.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

The upcoming Group C match between Cameroon and Sénégal marks the fifth time these teams have faced off in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Their previous meeting in the group stage produced a Senegal victory in 1990 while Cameroon emerged victorious in their three knockout matches notebly in thé 1992 quarter-finals, the 2002 final, and the 2017 quarter-finals.

The Defending champions Senegal impressed in their opening game, dispatching Gambia 3-0 thanks to Pape Gueye’s early opener and a brace from Lamine Camara and will be hoping to get a second win.

But Standing in their way are Cameroon, who could only draw their first game against Guinea. Mohamed Bayo put Guinea ahead after 10 minutes, before Frank Magri headed in an equaliser early in the second half.

Cameroon will rely on Georges-Kévin Nkoudou’s ability to create opportunities, as he tallied seven impressive chances in their opening match against Guinea.

On Sénégal’s side, Sadio Mané and Ismaïla Sarr will be key as they recorded an assist each in their
win over Gambia, and have assisted four (two each) of Senegal’s last five goals at the Africa Cup of Nations.

A win for Sénégal would guarantee their advancement to the next stage, but a victory for Cameroon would keep them in the run while a defeat for Cameroon will complicate their chances of moving forward

Senegal and Cameroon’s AFCON Squads

Senegal:

Mory Diaw, Seny Dieng, Édouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, Youssouf Sabaly, Ismail Jakobs, Formose Mendy, Abdoulaye N’Diaye, Abdou Diallo, Fodé Ballo-Touré, Abdoulaye Seck, Moussa Niakhaté, Krépin Diatta, Idrissa Gueye, Pathé Ciss, Cheikhou Kouyaté, Nampalys Mendy, Lamine Camara, Pape Gueye, Pape Sarr, Sadio Mané, Habib Diallo, Nicolas Jackson, Boulaye Dia, Ismaïla Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye, Abdallah Sima.

Coach: Aliou Cissé

Cameroon:

André Onana, Fabrice Ondoa, Dévis Epassy, Simon Ngapandouetnbu, Nouhou Tolo, Junior Tchamadeu, Oumar Gonzalez, Darlin Yongwa, Christopher Wooh, Harold Moukoudi, Jean-Charles Castelletto, Enzo Tchato, Malcom Bokélé, Yvan Neyou, Oli
vier Kemen, Frank Anguissa, Ben Elliott, Wilfried Nathan Douala, Olivier Ntcham, Karl Toko-Ekambi, Frank Magri, Vincent Aboubakar, Moumi Ngamaleu, Faris Moumbagna, Leonel Ateba, Georges-Kévin Nkoudou, Clinton N’Jie.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Ivorians have been mounting pressure on authorities for the repatriation of Francine Mayole, a popular Cameroonian Tik-Tok star currently in Côte d’Ivoire for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Francine is accused of criticising the state of the country’s capital Abidjan.

In a video going viral on social media, Francine makes a laughter of Cocody, a locality in in Abidjan, mocking at the dusty nature.

‘Wasn’t I told there was no dust here in Abidjan? Where are we?’ Francine can be heard questioning.

‘ Is this not Cocody? Is this not dust?’ she mockingly questioned.

This gesture from the Cameroonian has raised controversy among Ivorians who feel they are being insulted, thus requesting her repatriation as was the case with an Algerian who was repatriated for racist attacks on ivorians.

The Algerian YouTube star, Sofia Benlemmane had in a video taken in Côte d’Ivoire, made some racist declaration on the Country and the African continent.

‘Algeria should normally have been located between Spain and Portugal inst
ead of Africa. Because here in Africa they live a life of misery and I have a video recorded at night in a train station that shows it. Less than prehistory is better than here’ Sofia declared

After the declaration, Sofia was reportedly arrested by Ivorian authorities and repatriated.

Worthy to note is the fact that both Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire considered as brother countries and both citizens have been used to jokingly mocking each other on social media handles.

Some of the mockeries have recently been in development, economic, beauty, sports and others.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Ahead of Friday’s group encounter between Cameroon’s senior men’s national team and their Senegalese counterparts, the Lions had their latest training session on Wednesday.

Present to watch the season is FECAFOOT President and former African player of the year, Samuel Eto’o.

The session lasted for 90 minutes at the INPHB South pitch, Yamussoukro 48 hours before the crunchy tie with the defending champions.

After the training, the team was boosted by the presence of members of the team’s premium sponsor.

The sponsor visited the team to pump them to victory against the Teranga Lions on Friday.

On Thursday, coach Rigobert Song and Georges Kevin Nkoudou will attend the pre-match press conference at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamussoukro by 11:45 am.

The team will hold their final training session on Friday which will last for 60 minutes.

The first 15 minutes of the training are open to the media.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

From heart-pumping action to jaw-dropping surprises, the opening matches of AFCON2023 wrapped up with 12 epic clashes contested by 24 teams, all in 7 days with twists, turns, and upsets that left many in awe.

The opening matches of the tournament have been filled with exciting upsets, as highly-regarded teams such as Ghana, Tunisia, and Cameroon struggled in futility, to secure victories against their underdog opponents.

Seven-time champions Egypt narrowly avoided defeat against Mozambique thanks to a penalty goal from Mohammed Salah, South Africa fell to Mali in a surprise defeat, Ghana lost to Capo Verde, Algeria booked a draw with Angola, and Tunisia lost to Namibia.

Out of the 12 games played, only seven teams managed to secure maximum points, including Morocco, Namibia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Sénégal, Capo Verde, and Ivory Coast.

An average of 2.25 goals per match were scored across the 12 games with Senegal’s Lamine Camara currently leading the top scorer charts with two goals.

Meanwhile, six teams –
including Côte d’Ivoire, Sénégal, Burkina Faso, Namibia, Mali, and Morocco – have been able to keep clean sheets, demonstrating their strong defensive prowess.

The second matches of the 2023 AFCON will begin on Thursday, January 18 with Nigeria against Ivory Coast, Ghana will face Egypt and Guinea Bissau will go up against Equatorial Guinea.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

The french speaking Cameroonian entertainer and entrepreneur, also considered as a social media influencer, said Fecafoot President, Samuel Eto’o Fils has hijacked the senior men’s national team, silencing his critics and relegating bigger players who dare to speak out.

In a video Mr Fah said he believed in Eto’o Fils, that is why he supported his candidacy but cannot comprehend the poor management of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

His worries came after Cameroon drew 1-1 with Guinea in their opening Group C game in the 2023 AFCON.

‘As long as the Indomitable Lions have been called Indomitable Lions, we’ve never seen a team so puny. President Samuel Eto’o, as far as I’m concerned, the only one to blame is you. I supported you, you remember, because you reassured me that you had to give our football its greatness. President, the only greatness you have given us since you took over is shame. Our shame is great,’ Steve lamented.

Steve revealed that he had been threatened before by Eto’o Fils but said he
would not back down in pointing out the negative impact of Eto’o’s actions.

‘If you want, get angry, threaten me again. I don’t give a damn,’ he confided.

‘I know you don’t like the truth, but you’re going to lose whatever little respect the Cameroonian people still have for you if you try to return here without qualifying for the second round.’

Source: Cameroon News Agency