Revived Indomitable Lions evoke fear on group rivals

The Indomitable Lions, buoyed by the impressive run in the 2015 Africa Nations Cup qualifiers, were among the first teams to commence their preparations ahead of the tournament proper.

The new look team has been the darling of a majority of fans of the West African Nation, with some of the followers even contemplating the team’s fifth ever triumph in the competition.

The four-time African champions have not been at the Afcon since 2010, but with much-improved form in recent months following their sensational implosion at the 2014 Fifa World Cup, there is hope in the country of a good tournament.

The Lions have been in great shape in recent times and went through the qualifiers unbeaten, topping their group ahead of Cote d’Ivoire.

The Indomitable Lions and the Elephants have been drawn in the same group in the tournament and will clash in their final group game on 28 January.

The Lions will however be required to do duty in Equatorial Guinea minus the services of perhaps their two most influential and popular players Samuel Eto’o and Alexander Song.

Eto’o retired from the team amid a wave of controversy after a disastrous outing at the Fifa World Cup in Brazil, while Song has also announced his retirement after being left out of the final squad.

This is just hours after it was widely reported that he was due to inform his club, West Ham United, of his desire to play in next month’s tournament in Equatorial Guinea.

“We need to exercise caution especially with the way we express ourselves over there. You see, some of these players are still young but I am trying to talk to their minds to remove the fear factor.,” Cameroon’s German trainer Volke Finke explained.

Finke could perhaps have been referring to Ambroise Oyongo, the highly rated American based defender who has been earning praise from fans and neutrals alike for his performances both at club level and with the national team.