Francis Ngannou’s home country Cameroon stunned Algeria to advance to Qatar World cup by virtue of away goals

Cameroon pulled off a nail-biting 2-1 victory over Algeria after extra time to end 2-2 on aggregate and advance on the away goals rule. Cameroon born UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou was elated by the achievement and poured his heart out while congratulating them.

Cameroon was trailing 1-0 from the home leg but an early goal brought them back into the tie. But Cameroon’s hopes of qualifying was shattered Ahmed Touba’s scored a header from a corner with two minutes to go in extra time.

The resilient Cameroonians wouldn’t go down without a fight and crafted a miraculous comeback when Karl Toko Ekambi connected with a low volley to see Cameroon take the World Cup place.

Francis Ngannou was enthralled by the performance and qualification and immediately congratulated his native land brothers for their achievement. He posted a picture of himself with the manager of the Cameroon football team, Rigobert Song. A former captain of the team and a legend of the sport himself, Song helped orchestrate this momentous achievement.

He captioned the post, ‘Thank you brother @Song_Officiel_4 for leading our national team to the world cup #Qatar2022 You’re 4ever our captain!!!’

Source: Media Referee

Rigobert Song is a legend in Cameroonian football.

The charismatic former Indomitable Lions captain has 137 appearances under his belt and is the most capped Cameroonian, having represented the country from 1993 to 2010.

Song is one of only three players in Africa to have played in four different AFCON finals—1994, 1998, 2002, and 2010.

He also featured at four different World Cup finals. His legendary status in Cameroon is undeniable.

That being said, that status might suffer irreversible damage.

The 45-year old was appointed head coach of the national team by the order of the country’s President, Paul Biya, shortly after the AFCON 2021 finals—a move that was ratified by Song’s friend, former teammate and now Cameroon Football Federation president, Samuel Eto’o.

Very few people questioned Song’s appointment considering his reputation in Cameroonian football, but the move was a surprise considering all that his predecessor, Antonio Conceicao had achieved with the country’s national team.

The Indomitable Lions finished third in the 33rd edition of the continental showpiece.

Conceicao not only led Cameroon to an AFCON bronze medal, but also to the World Cup qualifying play-offs.

Song was appointed just 24 days before Cameroon battled the Desert Foxes of Algeria in the decisive World Cup qualifier play off, with a place at the global spectacle in Qatar up for grabs.

It was simply a gamble, but one many felt was worth it.

Song’s mission was clear: to guide the Indomitable Lions to the World Cup finals.

They were beaten by Algeria in the first leg last night, with Islam Slimani’s solitary strike on the stroke of half-time being decisive at the Doulala Stadium.

That result sent the Cameroonian football fraternity into panic mode.

There are already conclusions that the Eto’o-led administration pressed the self-destruction button when they appointed Song.

Of course, some Cameroonians will call for patience, just as the Senegalese nation did with Aliou Cisse, but can that tolerance come at the expense of World Cup qualification?

If by any chance, Cameroon fails to overturn the first leg in Algiers next Tuesday, will Song’s reputation not suffer?

Source: Soccer 24

When Samuel Eto’o won the election to become president of the Cameroon soccer federation, he jumped from his chair and punched the air like he might have done after scoring a goal at the height of a playing career that put him among the best strikers in the world.

But that celebration in December marked just the start for Eto’o, who has set himself the daunting task of rebuilding a broken domestic soccer structure in his Central African home country.

Cameroon’s national team is one of Africa’s most successful with five continental titles; Eto’o was on the team for two of them. Cameroon seized the world’s attention with a memorable run to the quarterfinals of the 1990 World Cup, led by charismatic striker Roger Milla. Many took notice of African soccer after that and Cameroon has gone on to play at seven World Cups, more than any other African nation.

Yet at home, the last decade has been deeply difficult. The national league has been bedeviled by interference from the government, allegations of corruption and unkept promises from soccer leaders. The league has been regularly disrupted, sponsors have deserted it — taking their money with them — and players have lost faith.

“I can’t list the number of players who have left football to do other jobs because they benefit nothing (from playing),” said Che Malone, a defender with Coton Sport, Cameroon’s national champion.

Malone said many players in Cameroon “play for free or almost free” as some teams aren’t always able to pay their salaries.

Enter Eto’o

It was a surprise when the former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker announced he was standing as a candidate to lead the troubled Cameroon federation. It was a shock when he won.

Eto’o promised to fight corruption, promote women’s soccer, improve stadiums and other infrastructure, get fans back at games and — maybe his key promise — improve the lives of players.

“It’s imperative to look beyond selfish interests in order to revive our local championships,” Eto’o said.

He also stated he had a mission “to rekindle the winning spirit within our national teams” and there were early signs of that when Cameroon impressed and excited on the way to third place at the African Cup of Nations it hosted in January and February.

Turning around the domestic game won’t be nearly so easy, or immediate.

But the 41-year-old Eto’o has made a start, establishing a minimum wage for players in the top two tiers and enforcing rules requiring club owners to show proof they have enough money to pay their players and staff.

He has also negotiated a deal to see the return of league sponsor MTN, a multinational telecommunications company, and has promised to build 10 stadiums in answer to players’ pleas for better settings to ply their trade. Some lower-tier games go ahead on fields that have more bare earth than grass.

Cameroon’s top tier is also back up and running again having kicked off on March 16.

There’s a long road ahead, but Eto’o “has ignited hope in us,” said Frank Abianda, a striker with top-tier club AS Fortuna. “At one moment the future seemed very dark.”

Source: AP

The recent African Cup of Nations (Afcon) held in Cameroon showed the people’s love for football, but as the national side prepares for a World Cup play-off, not all Cameroonians want the team to make it to Qatar, as BBC Tony Vinyoh reports.

It is a common refrain that sport and politics should not mix, but when it comes to football in Cameroon they are inextricably linked.

The five-year conflict that has pitted Anglophone separatists against the central government has seeped onto the football field.

When Egypt beat Cameroon in the Afcon semi-finals, much of the country went into mourning but Bamenda, the centre of dissent in the English-speaking regions, erupted in celebration. Most of those celebrating Cameroon’s defeat did so in the safety of their homes but their voices could be heard across town.

Whistles, chants and even motorbike stunts in the suburb of Bambili reflected the feeling among many southern Cameroonians to whom the Indomitable Lions, as the national team is known, have become a vivid representation of a union they despise.

As a passionate football fan he is aware of the role that sport plays in politics in the country, and the impact it has on the lives of his patients.

“This country has a tendency to use football to sweep burning issues under the rock. They tend to put more money into football because they know football is a unifying factor,” he says.

The anger in Bamenda is a remarkable reversal from 1998 when some residents set fire to the offices of Cameroon’s national energy supplier in angry protest after power went out before the Indomitable Lions played Austria at that year’s World Cup.

At the time Cameroon’s separatist movement was an underground campaign championed by recalcitrant civil servants anticipating early retirement.

Dr Ebogo backed Cameroon until 2016 when the southern Cameroonian crisis started. He now believes Cameroon’s sporting victories play into the government’s strategy of diverting attention.

“Even if you’re fighting and the Indomitable Lions win, you forget about what you’re fighting for. They’ve done this systematically for many years. Each victory that the Indomitable Lions bring home increases the misery of the people.”

The team plays a central role in the carefully choreographed image of 89-year-old President Paul Biya, who is in his 40th year in power.

As first sportsman of the republic, a popular video clip of a youthful Mr Biya congratulating the team was played on national TV after every Afcon victory at the recent tournament.

“Most Cameroonians think that when the Indomitable Lions win it is because of the strong man,” Dr Ebogo says.

“The Indomitable Lions win a trophy and people send motions of support to the president of the republic.”

People in Bamenda are careful who they voice their opinions to, so it is a constant struggle to mute their joy when the Indomitable Lions lose.

Out in the open where dissent can be deadly – knowing looks and beaming faces tell only a small part of the story.

In the colonial era, Cameroon was carved up by the French and British, which left a linguistic and cultural divide.

For decades after independence English-speakers complained they were marginalised, with political and economic power concentrated in the hands of the French-speaking majority.

That has now broken out into open revolt and calls for independence for the English-speaking region.

The first casualty of the war was the women’s national team.

‘Anyone But Cameroon’

As hosts of the women’s Afcon in 2016 they were expected to challenge Nigeria for the trophy.

When the tournament kicked off on 19 November most bars in Bamenda were full of fans cheering on the Indomitable Lionesses despite the brutal crackdown on southern Cameroonian activists a few weeks earlier.

By 3 December, the day of the final, this mood had been replaced by apathy and outright opposition as the situation deteriorated. It took only two weeks to destroy decades of southern Cameroonian support.

Most Southern Cameroonians never warmed up to this year’s continental tournament. To many, ABC – or Anyone But Cameroon – was the principle. Dr Ebogo signed onto Team ABC and invested time scouting Cameroon’s opponents.

“In Bamenda there was nothing like a Nations Cup fever. They even offered to ferry people to Bafoussam and nobody moved,” he said referring to the free tickets, transportation and coercion that the government and politicians put in place to fill empty stadiums.

But not everyone agrees.

For Smith Mbua, a human resources professional, his passion for the game overrides his politics. He travelled to Yaoundé to watch Cameroon play Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.

“Football should have nothing to do with politics. We will solve our problems one way or another, but it shouldn’t deprive people of things that make them happy,” he says.

“We have more important issues. We need hospitals, better schools, we need to pay our teachers who are on strike right now because they haven’t received salaries, but football has always brought us peace.”

Mr Mbua says he has not received any threats since returning from Afcon, but admits he is discreet about his love for the Indomitable Lions. He thinks support for the national team can come down to things like performance and personal choice.

He is more sanguine about the level of support among southern Cameroonians.

“I dare to say that 60% of Anglophones supported the national team at the Afcon. People are angry but I think deep down in our hearts we still love our country.”

Dr Ebogo thinks that even the appointment of national football hero Samuel Eto’o as head of the Cameroon football federation is not enough to persuade Bamenda residents to back the national team.

“I think that it will be a very daunting task to get people to love the Indomitable Lions like we supported them in 1990,” he insists, alluding to the on-going war.

So will Cameroon beat Algeria for a place at the World Cup?

“I pray and I wish no.”

Cameroon’s unique colonial legacy

• Colonised by Germany in 1884
• British and French troops force Germans to leave in 1916
• Cameroon is split three years later – 80% goes to the French and 20% to the British
• French-run Cameroon becomes independent in 1960
• After a 1961 referendum, the British territory was divided. Southern Cameroons voted to join Cameroon, while Northern Cameroons joined English-speaking Nigeria

Culled from the BBC

Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana has reportedly been involved in a sickening car crash on his way to play for the Indomitable Lions in their World Cup play-off against Algeria.

Horrifying pictures show two cars smashed into each other at the front, with both bonnets destroyed and the ground covered in debris.

Onana had been travelling from Yaoundé to Douala when he was caught up in the accident but the 25-year-old has fortunately escaped unscathed.

He was headed to Lion’s training camp in Douala at the time of the incident, local media says – with no casualties reported in the collision from either vehicle.

Onana is still on course to start for the Indomitable Lions in their crucial World Cup on Friday despite being involved in the incident, it says.

A Champions League semi-finalist in 2019, Onana has been rated as one of the most exciting young goalkeepers in world football in recent years before his career was blighted by a failed drugs test.

Cameroon national football team head coach Rigobert Song on Wednesday named his final 27-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff game against Algeria.

Vincent Aboubakar will captain the squad that also includes Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana, Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Bayern Munich forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.

The list consists of three goalkeepers, but there is no place for 2017 Africa Cup of Nations-winning keeper Fabrice Ondoa.

Forwards Clinton N’Jie, Christian Bassogog and Jerome Onguene are also amongst players dropped by Song, who has included 16-year-old Patient Wassou Goue of local side Coton Sport.

Cameroon will host Algeria in Japoma Stadium on March 25 before traveling to Mustapha Tchaker Stadium for the return fixture on March 29.

Song replaced Antonio Conceicao at the helm of the national team last month after the country finished third at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.

Source: Xinhuanet

It was all happiness when PWD Bamenda won yesterday’s final to clench the trophy that has eluded it for 43 years.

The happiness following the victory did not leave many analysts indifferent. PWD Bamenda is a team in the newly minted country of Ambazonia and for more than five years, there have been bloody fighting and killings in the two English-speaking regions of the country which had declared their independence some five years ago.

The comedy was all the more comic when natives of the new country showed up with placards bearing the most irrational demands.

“We need a stadium in Bamenda,” some of the placards read. It was like a child demonstrating in front of a neighbor’s house for school fees when the child had clearly told the neighbor he had nothing in common with the neighbor.

Maybe the message was for Ambazonian leaders who all live abroad.  Bringing that message to Yaoundé is like addressing the wrong audience and PWD Bamenda supporters were clearly wearing Ambazonian colors as if they had a plan to provoke the Yaoundé government.

If the people of Bamenda really need a stadium, will it not be appropriate for them to send that message to Dr. Sako Ikome and the multitude of Ambazonian generals who are living out of their own country?

It is obvious that Yaoundé will just be smiling. The people of Bamenda who have seen the worst violence over the last five years are simply tired of the violence that has been brought to them by their own people.

They seem to have counted on a Washington-based government that simply includes the poorest and most crooked pastors God has ever put on the face of the earth.

The PWD victory and the messages taken to Yaoundé might just be heralding the end of a violent struggle which is currently struggling.

If the messages were actually intended for the Yaoundé government, then the people of Bamenda are clearly flogging a dead horse as the Biya government has not got any appetite to develop infrastructure in a part of the world where the people have a mercurial temperament and can ruin everything in a feat of anger.

By Fon Lawrence in Bamenda

Cameroon football season came to a close on Sunday, March 13, 2022 at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Sports stadium in Yaoundé in a ceremony chaired by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute.

The climax of the event was the final of the Cameroon Football Cup that pitted Astres FC of Douala (French Cameroun) against PWD of Bamenda from Southern Cameroons.

The two teams have never won a Cameroon Cup.  The “Brazilians of Bapanda” were playing their fourth final while the Abakwa Boys of Southern Cameroons were in their third attempt.

In a scantily attended final, the two teams gave everything to ward off the bad luck that had prevented them for several years from winning the coveted trophy.  At the final whistle of referee Elouga Bikim, PWD of Bamenda after failing in 1967 against Canon of Yaoundé, 1979 in front of Dynamo of Douala, emerged victorious beating Astres of Douala one goal to nil.

Hubert Mbunwe Che scored the goal from a dead ball in the 15th minute via a free kick on the edge of the area beating goalkeeper Jourdain Mbaynassem.

Speaking to state radio and television immediately after the game, the manager of Astres de Douala, Anicet Mbarga said “We had a penalty that could have allowed my team to get the game back on track. Unfortunately, the referee did not blow the whistle. However, I congratulate the opposing team who deserved their victory.”

For his part, David Pagou the coach of PWD Bamenda opined that “We gave our all to win this game! I dedicate our victory to the people of the North-West who are now living in difficult conditions.”

 By Rita Akana

PWD of Bamenda and Astres of Douala are now poised to move to Yaoundé to stage the finals of the Cup of Cameroon.

The 89-year-old French Cameroun dictator Paul Biya reportedly rubber-stamped the choice of the venue and the presiding CPDM official.

The finals will hold at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaoundé, and will be presided over by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute.

After eight months of waiting, the Cameroon Cup finals will be played on Sunday, March 13, 2022 following a correspondence from the Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh to the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Narcisse Mouelle Kombi.

Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh stated “I have the honor to inform you that the President of the Republic has given his high approval for the holding of the 2020-2021 edition of the final of the Cameroon Football Cup on Sunday, March 13, 2022 from 15H at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Sports Stadium in Yaoundé.”

By Rita Akana

Cameroon’s national team has a new coach. Rigobert Song has been appointed to lead the national as the new coach.

Despite disagreement between the FECAFOOT President and the Minister of Sports, an agreement has been reached and Song will be taking over from the former Portuguese coach António Conceição who has been thanked for his services to the national team.

The government is now focused on using its citizens in certain key positions. The era of European coaches appears to be over in Africa.

More details will be yours.

By Ewang Miriam Metchane