Sports

Ahead of UNIFFAC U17 tourney: Lions finalise preparations in Douala.

by Beng Emmanuel
14 Feb 2025 19:34
views

U17 Lions squad

Cameroon men’s under-17 national football team Wednesday concluded their preparations for the upcoming Union of Central African Football Federations, UNIFFAC U17 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tournament with a highly entertaining 1-1 stalemate against Academy Foot of Douala.

The friendly game took place at the Annex of the Japoma stadium in Douala.

Arnaud Tchombe was on target for the Lions while Junior Nomo scored for the home side.

The match served as a final tune-up for the team ahead of the tournament.

The draw comes barely a few days after the boys of head coach, Saidou Alioum lost to Ecole de Football Brasseries du Cameroon, EFBC, on Sunday 9 February at the Japoma annex stadium No 1.

Emini Zibi Jordan, Kolli Djadja and Oumar Tsombeng scored for the U17 lions while Angel Yondjo scored four in the win.

Despite the defeat, the technical staff was pleased with the performance of the players.

Cameroon is looking forward to face off with five other countries in the UNIFFAC zonal tourney.

They include; the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Central African Republic, CAR, Cameroon.

The tourney which kicks-off Sunday February 16 and will take place at the Reunification Stadium in Douala.

Cameroon will face the DR Congo in their first match of the tournament on Sunday February 16.

It should be noted that the two finalists of the UNIFFAC U17 tournament will qualify for the 2025 U17 Africa Cup of Nations tournament. It will take place in Morocco from March 30 to April 19.

A total of 16 nations are expected to compete at the continental event. The top 10 nations of the competition will later qualify for the 2025 U17 FIFA World Cup tournament scheduled to take place in Qatar from November 7 to November 27.

The U17 Lions are expected to use the two competitions in Douala Morocco to bounce back to the global stage after recording dismal performances in recent years.

Cameroon has just made two appearances in the finals of the U17 World Cup since the introduction of the competition.

The team made its debut in the competition in 2003 and returned some 16 years later for the 2019 edition.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3364 of Thursday February 13, 2025