They are on 39 points with Astres but have an edge due to goal advantage.
Coton Sport of Garoua may be on their way to winning an umpteenth championship title this year. Thanks to a zero-all-tie against Sable and the defeat of Astres by Douala Athletic club on the 22nd day of play on Saturday September 28, the Colossus from the North have once more taken the leadership position of the MTN Elite One championship.
Though on the same number of points with runners-up, Astres, Coton Sport has an edge due to goal advantage. Coton Sports has 39 points and a plus 23 goal difference whereas Astres equally on 39 points has only a plus 9 goal difference. With barely four days of play to go to the end of the championship, it is very likely that Coton Sport, who have been on the crescendo since the resumption of the second phase of the championship, could conserve their lead till the end of the championship.
The flag bearers of Cameroonian football for the past decade are heading for a double this season as they are also qualified for the semi finals of the prestigious African Champions League. While Coton Sport is heading for glory, Tonnerre Kalara Club are heading for the abyss as the club suffered yet another defeat against Njalla Quan last Saturday to further plunge down the relegation zone. Tonnerre, who began the season with high hopes of clinching a spot in continental competitions this year, occupy the last position on the classification chart with hopes of surviving in the elite one championship diminishing by the day.
The downward trend of the club has also been accentuated by the leadership tussle rocking the club. It has also been diminishing fortunes for Panthere since the departure of Célestine Ketcha Courtes as president. The Nzuimanto occupy an unenviable last but one position of the league table with barely 23 points after 22 days of play. They are battling for survival alongside New Stars, the first team below the relegation line with 23 points. However, the die is not yet cast for the three teams in the red zone there are still 12 points up for grab before the end of the season and mathematically can still hop out of the relegation zone.
There were some movements in the middle of the table but without any real stakes for the teams involved. Canon dropped from the 4th to the 5th position while Douala Athletic Club moved up one place to occupy the 4th position. Renaissance also dropped from the 6th to the 9th position and Yong Sports gained one position on the table thanks to their 1-0 victory over Renaissance. With the stakes involved, the last four playing days will be full of fireworks as clubs battle for a place in continental competitions next season or to avoid relegation to the inferior MTN Elite Two championship.
