ACTUALITE |
02.07.2004
All Set For Lion-Elephant Brawl
The Indomitable Lions are gunning for nothing other than victory in Sunday`s encounter.
The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon will next Sunday face the Elephants of Côte d`Ivoire in their third match in the ongoing 2006 World Cup/Nations Cup eliminatories. The encounter at the Yaounde Omnisport stadium is of utmost importance to both teams. The outcome will serve as a gauge to determine whether Cameroon`s National Football Team, which presently occupies the second position in Group Three, can logically aspire for the 2006 World Cup. The Ivorians, leaders of the Group with six points, hope to confirm their leadership. It will therefore not be an easy task for Captain Song and his mates.
Luckily, the national football team has been in camp since last Sunday, with two intensive training sessions each day. Officials of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and those of the Cameroon Football Federation have also taken special measures to reinforce security around the Lions; this to ensure that they train in complete serenity.
Judging from the friendly match which the Indomitable Lions played with local side, Canon of Yaounde, last Wednesday, it is evident the boys are in high spirits and have regained their goal scoring-capacity. They white-washed Canon, 6-1, in the friendly match. The scores were comforting but not sufficient to convince most sceptics. The Yaounde boys were an easy ride for the Lions. They had nothing in common with the ferocity of the Ivorian attackers or the resistance of the defenders of the Elephants. Coach, Winfred Schäfer, however plans to adopt a new strategy for Sunday`s encounter. This move would certainly be appreciated by the Cameroonian public which has not been impressed with the performance of their "darling" team during their last two outings.
In their first match, the Lions laboriously outplayed the Squirrels of Benin, 2-1 in Yaounde. A forth night ago during their second encounter against Libya, Captain Song and his mates settled for a virgin tie. The draw was considered not good enough considering that Libya was not among the highly-rated teams of the group. The Indomitable Lions therefore have to deploy all their tactical skills to win next Sunday`s encounter.
Meanwhile, the Lions yesterday afternoon paid a courtesy call to the family of late Marc Vivien Foe. The team, under the leadership of Coach Winfried Schäfer, were also at the graveside of Foe at Biteng in the outskirts of Yaounde. Their visit was to make up for their absence during the official commemoration of the first anniversary of the departed Lion last Saturday.
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Hits: 1 | Source:cameroon-tribune.cm | |
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