ACTUALITE |
27.05.2009
Lions Resume Training Today
Fred VUBEM
The players are in Belgium to prepare for the World Cup qualifier against Morocco on June 7.
After a two-month recess, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon will begin training today in Belgium. The training is in preparation for the upcoming encounter with the Atlas Lions of Morocco next June 7, counting for the qualifiers of the African Cup of Nations in Angola and most the World Cup in South Africa in 2010. Prior to the training camp, team coach Otto Pfister published a list of 25 players comprising a blend of new and old talents to boost the performance of the squad. However, not all 25 short-listed players will join the training camp today as some are still involved in their various championships. The darling boy of the team, Samuel Eto’o Fils will only join the rest of the squad after their champions league final against Manchester United, today and may well forfeit the last La Liga match after having been outclassed by Diego Forlan in the pursuit of the highest goal scorer award.
The Indomitable Lions were stunned on the first day of play by a 0-1 defeat in the hands of the Hawks of Togo, a performance that has provoked a psychosis of fear among Cameroonians who fear the Lions might not qualify for the 2010 World Cup just as was the case in Germany 2006. Cameroon occupies the last position in Group A with zero point. It will therefore be a must-win-match for the Lions when the clash with the Atlas Lions given that a second defeat in a row will seriously compromise Cameroon’s chances of qualifying for the world football jamboree. Morocco will however not be an easy nut to crack given that they equally lost 1-2 to Gabon on the first day of play of the final round qualifiers and will want to keep their chances of qualification intact.
The match was initially scheduled to take place on June 6, 2009, but was postponed to the next day following a request made by Cameroon to FIFA. Cameroon failed to qualify for the World Cup in Germany in 2006, which was a very bitter pill for people and qualification for South African expedition will help erase the sad memories of 2006. The Lions will arrive in Cameroon five days ahead of the match to acclimatise and further prepare for the show down at the Mfandena sports complex come June 7.
In a related story, Cameroon will travel to Abidjan on June 14 to play a friendly match with the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire. The encounter shall be in memory of the victims of the stampede last March. It will be a good exercise for the two teams ahead of their next games for the 2010 World Cup and African Cup qualifiers.
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Hits: 1 | Source:cameroon-tribune.cm | |
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