AFCON 2015: Leopards revenge against Lions in Yaoundé

The fifth day of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations 2015 looks pretty explosive in Group D as the national football team of Cameroon, the ‘Indomitable Lions’ will face ‘The Leopards’ of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Cameroonians face this meeting with a psychological advantage following their victory in the first leg in Lubumbashi. In addition, the DRC has never won a match in Yaoundé.

Cameroon who lead Group D with 10 points need only a point to qualify. This is to make up for the two missed appointments in 2012 in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and 2013 in South Africa.

The team’s coach, Volker Finke in a release announced the twenty-four players selected to play the game against the DRC on Friday, October 31. The German coach has however not made any major changes from the last selection against Sierra Leone.

Two new players have been added to the team; Patrick Ekeng Ekeng, a young midfield player in Cordoba (Spain) and Adolphe Teikeu a defender playing in Ukraine.

Second in Group D with 6 points, DRC, intend to take their chances in Yaoundé. The national coach of the DRC team, Florent Ibenge, has also selected 23 Leopards to face the Indomitable Lions. Several players from the local football club, ‘Tp Mazembe’ and ‘As Vita’, form the Congolese team.

The selection was reinforced by professionals playing in France, Belgium, England, Germany and Spain. In addition, the Congolese delegation of thirty people arrived at Yaoundé on November 9.

The second meeting in the Group will be between Sierra Leone and Côte d' Ivoire in Kinshasa. The coach of ‘The Elephants’ of Cote d' Ivoire called on two former players, Kolo Toure of Liverpool in England and Didier Zokora who plays in Turkey.

The staff officer of the Sierra Leonean selection appealed to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Congolese Football Federation (FECOFA) to organize this meeting.

The Secretary General of FECOFA, Gregory Badi when contacted on Thursday, October 23, said he did not find any problem with the game.

Sports events cannot be held in Sierra Leone because of the outbreak of Ebola in the DRC.

Côte d' Ivoire has 6 points and Sierra Leone is last with 1 point.