By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Cameroon’s dominant 4-1 victory over Cape Verde in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers have extended their unbeaten run that began in November 2023. Back then, they secured a convincing 3-0 win against Mauritius followed by a 1-1 draw with Libya.
The match, staged at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium on June 8th, saw Cameroon take an early lead in the 13th minute. Michael Ngandeu rose to the occasion, converting Moumi Ngamaleu’s corner kick for his first goal with the Lions since his return. Vincent Aboubakar, the team captain, doubled the lead just twelve minutes later with another Ngamaleu assist.
Cape Verde responded through Jamiro Monteiro in the 37th minute, assisted by Bebe. However, Aboubakar wouldn’t be denied his brace, converting a penalty just before halftime to put Cameroon 3-1 up.
The second half saw Cape Verde press for an equalizer, but Nouhou Tolo solidified Cameroon’s lead with a header from yet another Ngandeu corner. Cape Verde nearly pulled one back with a late penalty, but goalkeeper Andre Onana made a crucial save in stoppage time.
This victory highlights Cameroon’s current form despite their recent struggles. While they boast multiple attacking threats, their record before this game showed only two wins in their last nine outings.
Cape Verde, on the other hand, entered the match with a more impressive recent record. They had drawn their opening qualifier against Angola before defeating Eswatini 2-0.
They had also lost only one of their last ten matches in regular time, with their sole defeat coming via a penalty shootout to South Africa at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Historically, the matchup between these two teams has been close. Since 2012, Cameroon has only managed one win against Cape Verde in five encounters, with two draws and two losses. This adds context to the significance of Cameroon’s dominant performance in this recent qualifier.