Finishing fourth at the previous African Nations Championship (CHAN) at home, the local selection of Cameroon aims at a better result this year.
In four appearances at an African Nations Championship (CHAN), Cameroon has never reached the podium. Two years ago, at home, the local Lions achieved their best performance. They had finished fourth after a defeat against Morocco in the semi-finals (4-0). It is therefore with a desire to do better that the country of Samuel Eto'o took up residence Friday in Oran where it will take part in the 7th CHAN organized by Algeria (January 13-February 4, 2023).
Thomas Etta Bawak and his teammate's objective will be to pass the first round. If Cameroon is the favorite in a group E that it shares with Congo (January 16) and Niger (January 24), it will have to finish first. Indeed, only one team can qualify for the quarterfinals. And this is what pushes the technical staff to remain on guard.
"The fact that we are in a group of three forces us not to make any mistake. Because there is no catching up possible. We have two games to play and I think it will be two finals for us. It is a huge challenge that awaits us. We have worked well and we are ready to overcome all the obstacles that will come our way," said former international and assistant coach of Cameroon, Pius Njiefi.
The local Lions are ready to roar. They have trained hard for this appointment. The preparation that began on December 10, 2022 at the CAF Center of Excellence in Mbankomo, a suburb located 30 km from Yaounde the capital gave the staff the opportunity to compose a list of 25 players. They then went to Tunisia on January 3 for a final acclimatization course. The Cameroonians played three friendly matches including two draws against Uganda (1-1) and Ivory Coast (1-1), and a victory against Sudan (2-0).
Player to watch: Jérôme Ngom Mbekeli
He is one of the few local African players to have taken part in the recent World Cup in Qatar. Inevitably, Jerome Ngom Mbekeli is the Cameroonian player to follow during this CHAN. Especially since the 24-year-old midfielder shone in Doha with a decisive cross for Vincent Aboubakar in the 1-0 win over Brazil on December 2, 2022. Known for his speed and quality of passing, the player from Cameroon's top flight club Colombe du Sud is an asset. Last season, he finished the league with 14 assists. This year, he has 2 assists in 3 games.
The coach: Alioum Saidou
Former member of the technical staff of Istanbul Basa
