International Football
Cameroon’s Lions Are Not Indomitable
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
When Nigeria hosts Cameroon on Friday in Uyo in a 2018 World Cup qualifiers, it will be the 21st time both teams will be going head-to-head. However in recent time, Nigerian football followers are often jittery in fixtures with Cameroon.
Sports Village Square can confirm that past results swayed greatly in favour of Nigeria. Last Sunday marked 26 years since Cameroon ever beat Nigeria in regulation time. It was a World Cup qualifying match for Italia’ 90 – a tie in which Nigeria needed just a draw to advance to the last straight knock-out qualifying duel.
But the Super Eagles are still being haunted by the sad loss through penalty shootout of the final match of the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations when scores at regulation time and extra time stood at 2-2. Until about a decade ago, Nigeria-Cameroon fixture was almost like a recurring decimal.
But in spite of the intimidating stature of the Indomitable Lions, results have always been in Nigeria’s favour. In 20 matches, Nigeria won 12 times as against three clear victories by Cameroon. The remaining five were drawn – including the February 13, 2000 Africa Cup final in which penalty kicks were used as tie-breaker.
Not only that, Nigeria had beaten Cameroon in Yaounde three times in the past including the occasion when the massive Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium was opened on February 13, 1972 ahead of the hosting of the eighth edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria did not only mar the occasion for Cameroon by beating the hosts 2-1, it is on record that the first goal at that stadium was scored by a Nigerian – Josiah Dombraiye who netted a brace. Other instances Nigeria beat Cameroon in Yaounde include the January 1 1963 return leg match of the then Kwame Nkrumah Cup organized by the West African Football Federations (WAFF), forerunners to the current West African Football Union. Cameroon was one of the founding countries of WAFF when it was established in Accra in March 1959.
Nigeria won in Yaounde after an earlier 3-1 win in Lagos. Also, a goalless World Cup qualifying match in Lagos on December 7, 1968 was followed with a 3-2 defeat of Cameroon in Yaounde on December 22, 1968.
The Nigerian soil has always been a poor hunting ground for Cameroon whose best result remain the 2-2 draw in Lagos in 2000 and perhaps the goalless outings of 1968 and that of February 2, 1980 at the then Liberty Stadium Ibadan when the legendary goalkeeper, Emmanuel Okala last played for Nigeria.
The first time Cameroon ever beat Nigeria was in the final match of the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Nigeria lost 1-3 after taking an early lead by Muda Lawal’s early strike.
The second time Nigeria lost to Cameroon was also an African Cup of Nations final match in which a clear goal by Henry Nwosu was disallowed while a doubtful penalty kick was awarded Cameroon by the Mauritanian referee, Idrissa Sarr to Cameroon which was converted by Emmanue Kunde.
The only edge Cameroon probably have over Nigeria is the fact that the first three times the Lions won the Africa Cup of Nations, the Super Eagles were the losers – 1984, 1988 and 2000.
Nigeria vs. Cameroon: Head-to-Head
P W D L F A GD
Nigeria 20 12 5 3 31 16 +15
Cameroon 20 3 5 12 16 31 -15
- 26 Apr. 1960 (F-Lome) Cameroon 0-0 Nigeria
- 8 Dec.1962 (Nkrumah Cup – Lagos) Nigeria 3-1 Cameroon
- 1 Jan.1963 (Nkrumah- Yaounde) Cameroon 1-2 Nigeria
- 20 July 1966 (F- Fanando Po) Cameroon 1-2 Nigeria
- 1968 (WCq- Lagos) Nigeria 1-1Cameroon
- 22 Dec.1968 (WCq – Yaounde) Cameroon 2-3 Nigeria
- 13 Feb.1972 (F- Yaounde) Cameroon 1-2 Nigeria
- 22 Jan. 1975 (F – Lagos) Nigeria 1-0 Cameroon
- 2 Feb. 1980 (F- Ibadan) Nigeria 0 -0 Cameroon
- 18 Mar.1984 (Afcon – Abidjan) Cameroon 3-1 Nigeria
- 17 Mar. 1988(Afcon – Rabat Cameroon 1-1Nigeria
- 27 Mar.1988 (Afcon – Casablanca) Cameroon 1-0 Nigeria
- 10 June1989 (WCq- Ibadan) Nigeria 2-0 Cameroon
- 1989 (WCq – Yaounde) Cameroon 1-0 Nigeria
- 25 Jan.1992 (Afcon – Dakar) Cameroon 1-2 Nigeria
- 1997 (LG Cup – Tunis) Cameroon 0-1 Nigeria
- 13 .Feb. 2000 (Afcon- Lagos) Nigeria 2-2 Cameroon *(3-4 pso).
- 1 June2003 (LG Cup- Lagos) Nigeria 3-0 Cameroon *aet
- Feb.2004 (Afcon – Monastir) Cameroon 1-2 Nigeria
- Oct. 2015 (F-Vise, Belgium) Cameroon 0-3 Nigeria
Aliou Cisse has been named coach of the Angola national team, the country’s football federation (FAF) announced on Thursday, 24 hours after the Senegalese left his post in Libya.
The 50-year-old coach, who led Senegal to their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022, ended his short stint with the Libyan national team on Wednesday, after taking charge in March 2025.
“Welcome, Aliou Cisse, head coach of the Angola national team,” the FAF said on Facebook. Angola, which failed to reach this year’s World Cup, will start their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September.
-Reuters
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Nigeria’s Super Eagles were held to a 2-2 draw by FIFA World Cup-bound Jordan in an eventful international friendly in Antalya on Tuesday night, with the contest overshadowed by a late red card to Alex Iwobi.
Iwobi, making his 98th appearance for the national team, was sent off in the closing stages, capping a dramatic encounter in which Nigeria surrendered a first-half lead and finished the game with ten men.
The match, played at the Mardan Sports Complex, brought Nigeria’s March international window to a close, but it proved anything but routine as both sides delivered a fiercely contested and entertaining clash.
Jordan, ranked 64th in the world and enjoying strong recent form, struck first in the 17th minute through Mousa Tamari. A well-worked free-kick routine caught the Nigerian defence napping, allowing the forward to fire home the opener.
Nigeria responded quickly and thought they had equalised six minutes later when Raphael Onyedika finished from a Moses Simon cut-back, but the goal was controversially ruled out.
The Super Eagles eventually drew level in the 30th minute. Stand-in captain Moses Simon, earning his 97th cap, reacted fastest after Ademola Lookman’s effort was blocked, slotting home with a composed left-footed finish for his second goal in as many matches.
Nigeria went ahead four minutes before halftime when Bright Osayi-Samuel’s pinpoint cross found debutant Emmanuel Fernandez, who showed great composure to control and finish, giving the three-time African champions a 2-1 lead at the interval.
The second half took on a more physical tone, with goalkeeper Francis Uzoho forced off in the 57th minute after sustaining an injury while clearing the ball. Adebayo Adeleye replaced him between the posts.
Head coach Eric Chelle introduced Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi to shore up the midfield, but Jordan continued to press and were rewarded with an equaliser in the 77th minute.
Nigeria pushed for a winner late on, handing a senior debut to Philip Otele, while Samuel Chukwueze came on for Moses Simon. However, the closing moments were marred by Iwobi’s dismissal, leaving the Super Eagles to see out the match with ten men.
Despite the draw, the encounter offered valuable insights for the coaching crew as Nigeria continues preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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By Kunle Solaja
Match Context
- Fixture: Jordan vs Nigeria
- Venue: Antalya, Turkey
- Occasion: Four-Nation Invitational Tournament
- Kick-off: Tuesday (evening)
They would have loved facing Jamaica in Mexico today for a place at the World Cup, but fate has other plans, and Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be taking on World Cup debutants Jordan in a friendly match instead in Turkey.
The encounter promises to be a revealing contest for both sides as preparations intensify for future global assignments.
The encounter, staged as part of a four-nation tournament in Turkey, will be the third meeting between the two countries, with the head-to-head record finely poised.
History Beckons in Third Meeting
Nigeria claimed a 2-0 victory in their first clash at the National Stadium, Lagos, on 28 April 2004 during the LG Cup.
However, the tables turned in 2013 when a largely experimental Nigerian side under the late Stephen Keshi suffered a 1-0 defeat in Amman, courtesy of a Hatem Aqel penalty.
This latest meeting now serves as the decider in what has quietly become a balanced rivalry.
Jordan arrive in buoyant mood, riding on the crest of a historic achievement, which is their first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup (2026).
Jordan’s Al-Nashama
Their recent form underlines a team growing in confidence and tactical discipline. In the past months, Al-Nashama have:
- Held Russia (0-0)
- Defeated Dominican Republic (3-0)
- Drawn with Mali (0-0)
- Narrowly lost to Bolivia (1-0) and Albania (4-2)
- Pushed Tunisia (3-2 loss) in a competitive encounter
They also opened this invitational tournament with a 2-2 draw against Costa Rica, further evidence of their resilience.
The team’s preparations have been boosted by a morale-lifting visit from Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein, President of the Jordan Football Association, during their Antalya training camp.
Coach Jamal Al-Salami has deliberately scheduled matches against Nigeria and Costa Rica, citing their stylistic similarity to World Cup opponents such as Argentina, Austria, and Algeria.
Despite missing several key players, including star forward Mousa Ta’mari, Jordan have continued to show depth, blending senior players with youth prospects as part of a broader developmental strategy.
Nigeria head into the clash with renewed confidence after a 2-1 victory over Iran in their opening game of the tournament, with goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams.
Unlike previous meetings, the Super Eagles are expected to field a full-strength squad, packed with Europe-based stars, something Jordanian observers have already described as a “heavyweight challenge.”
The squad boasts a blend of experience and attacking flair.
The presence of multiple attacking options gives Nigeria a clear edge going forward, while their physicality and pace could pose serious problems for the Jordanians.
Jordan are expected to adopt a compact, disciplined shape, relying on quick transitions and defensive organisation, qualities that earned them results against stronger opposition in recent friendlies.
Nigeria, by contrast, will likely dominate possession, using width and individual brilliance to break down Jordan’s defensive lines.
The key battle may lie in midfield, where Jordan’s structure will be tested against Nigeria’s blend of strength, technique, and tempo.
For Jordan, this is another step in fine-tuning a squad preparing for its historic World Cup debut—a chance to measure themselves against elite opposition.
For Nigeria, it is an opportunity to assert authority, build cohesion among its star-studded squad, and maintain momentum ahead of more competitive fixtures.
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