Elite Two playoffs: Apejes outdo Astres to kickstart promotion race in style.

Midfielder, Michel Gabriel Mba, and ace defender, Bertrand Ntemb, got the two goals against the Astre side which completed the game with 10 men after center-back Bienvenu Djob Lidjob received marching orders.

The victory takes Apejes to the leadership position on the tentative classification. The club enjoyed the ranking after the two other matchday one fixtures in the mini-tournament ended in draws.

South West Region outfit, Kumba City Football Club, played out a 1-1 draw with Atlantic Sports Academy of Kribi at the annex of the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde. 

Atlantic secured the opener 22 seconds into the fixture before Kumba City FC’s star man, Cyril Obase leveled the scores at the 10th minute. Avion Academy of Nkam and Union Sportive Abong Mbang settled on a similar 1-1 score at the same facility following two second half goals scored from the penalty spot. 

The competition will resume tomorrow Friday with Apejes challenging Avion while Atlantic battles Astres. Kumba City FC will entertain US Abong Mbang. 

The winner of the promotion tournament will automatically qualify for the Elite One. The runner-up will advance to face the 13th-placed selection from the 2025/2026 Elite One campaign with a chance of also qualifying for the topflight championship.

Tonnerre challenges Bamboutos in top relegation playoff showdown

Elsewhere, the relegation playoff phase resumes today with matchday three actions. It will see leaders, Tonnerre Kalara Club of Yaounde, locking horns with Bamboutos Football Club of Mbouda at the FECAFOOT Technical Centre. 

Tonnerre Head coach, Bayomog Justin, hopes to claim all three points as the club looks to consolidate its promising start. The club humbled Union 3-0 in their first match and registered a similar victory over Ngoketunjia United Football Academy on the second day on Monday. 

Bamboutos FC is ranked third after it started the competition timidly with a 1-1 draw with Ngoketunjia United. The club will face Tonnerre in high spirit following the comfortable 3nil victory over Union of Douala on matchday two.

FAP to entertain Sable

Elsewhere in the matchday three series today, FAP of Yaounde will battle out with Sable Football Club of Batie. FAP sits second after winning both opening matches while Sable is placed fourth after drawing two previous matches.

Bafmeng United Football Academy will lock horns with Yaounde II Football Club in a rare midtable showdown while Ngoketunjia United will challenge Union. 

Ngoketunjia United will seek to relaunch its race after a humiliating 3-0 loss to Tonnerre on gameday two and goalless draw against Bamboutos on the opening day.

Eight teams are competing in the relegation playoff. The top four teams at the close of the event will automatically avoid relegation. The top bottom-ranked sides will be directly relegated from the Elite Two. 

The fifth and sixth-ranked sides will be demoted to feature in the forthcoming 2026 National Interpools where they will have a second and final chance of pushing for their relegation safety. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3814 of Thursday June 11, 2026