By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon have regained their position at the top of Group J in the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers with a convincing 4-1 victory over Kenya in Yaoundé on October 11.
Both teams entered the match with high stakes, knowing the importance of securing a win. Early on, Cameroon faced a setback when Christopher Wooh was injured following a collision and was replaced by Jean-Charles Castelletto in the 13th minute.
However, Cameroon took the lead through a penalty kick converted by captain Vincent Aboubakar, but Kenya responded with increased pressure. Martin Hongla extended Cameroon’s advantage with a long-range strike in the 39th minute.
Kenya pulled one goal back through Michael Olunga’s header from a free kick, but Cameroon quickly restored their two-goal lead with Bryan Mbeumo’s goal, through an assist from Christian Bassogog.
The first half ended with Cameroon leading 3-1. In the second half, Kenya continued to press forward, but Cameroon’s defensive resilience held firm. Christian Bassogog scored Cameroon’s fourth goal at the 55th minutes with an assist from Hongla.
Despite Kenya’s efforts to reduce the deficit, Cameroon’s dominance prevailed. The final whistle confirmed their victory, extending their unbeaten record against Kenya to nine wins in confrontation between the two countries.
With seven points, Cameroon now sits two points clear of second-placed Zimbabwe, who defeated Namibia 1-0. Kenya is in third place with four points, while Namibia remains at the bottom of the group with zero points.
Since their early exit from the last AFCON, Cameroon has remained unbeaten under coach Marc Brys. They have recorded three wins and two draws in both World Cup and AFCON qualifiers. Additionally, Cameroon has not lost a match at the Yaoundé Omnisport Stadium since 1988.
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