African Champions League: a daunting task for Cameroon flag bearer

Cameroon’s hopes of ending a long-drawn continental trophy drought that has hit the country for close to three decades now is hanging on a balance. Cotonsport Garoua, the country’s flag bearer in the final of the African Champions League took off on a wrong footing but analysts say all hopes are not lost.

By Hinsley Njila

The Garoua club lost 0-2 to Al-Ahly of Cairo Egypt in the first leg final of the competition. The atmosphere that surrounded the match and the output of Cotonsport during the second segment leaves the contest open.
However, it is alleged that both the fans of Al-Ahly and the football stakeholders of the country psychologically tortured the players of Cotonsport. Also that the Cameroon torchbearers were abandoned to themselves at the Cairo International Airport for close to three hours on the day of arrival in Cairo. A local news paper in Cameroon further reported that on the day of the match, players were blocked on their way to the stadium for close to an hour while their opponents were already on the pitch.

Demoralised, the players took off the game timidly and conceded early goals (3rd and 14th minute) that got them confused and destabilised their game plan.
But they quickly reorganised and succeeded in warding off dangerous onslaughts by the motivated and experienced Al-Ahly.

The strong fight put up by the Garoua boys especially during the second half predicts fireworks during the return leg game in a fortnight especially as they would play in front of their home crowd.
To surmount the Al-Ahly obstacle, the herald news paper reported that Cotonsport’s head coach, Alain Ouombleon Guedou, would need to review his game plan. The last game showcased lapses in the club especially in the attack. Unlike Al-Ahly that had individual talent that could make a difference, Cotonsport were counting on team spirit which was everything but successful in Cairo. There was lack of cohesion between the midfield and attack lines, which made finishing difficult.

“Cotonsport are reputed for disarming giants in Garoua but the experience, rapidity and agility of Al-Ahly players are what the Cameroon torchbearers would have to grapple with to consolidate their invincibility at the Roumde Adjia stadium thus far. Since this year’s competition began, Cotonsport are yet to concede a goal and defeat at home. Their newfound winning spirit is what keeps hopes high that though a difficult assignment; scoring three goals and conceding none to win the trophy for the first time would not be an impossibility for them. In the last two matches at the Roumde Adjia stadium, Cotonsport thumped Enyimba of Nigeria and Power Dynamos of Zimbabwe 3-0 and 4-0 respectively” said the Herald.

The return leg game will be played on 16 November and the winner will bag a trophy and a cash prize of about 500,000 million FCFA and a place in the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan at the end of the year