Innocent Mbunwe
17 July 2008
Cameroon's under 17 Lions Tuesday, July 15, at the CDC Sports Complex, Limbe, whacked their Sao Tome & Principe counterpart 5-0, in the opening game of the maiden edition of the Union of Football Federations in the Central African zone, UNIFFAC.
The Lions that dominated the encounter from start to finish thrilled the crowd intermittently with scintillating play style, raising the hope of Cameroonians that the Eto'o Fils, Njitaps, Songs, have possible replacements in the Lions den in future.
Sao Tome's 7 shirted player, Vander Pinto, who manned the midfield, distinguished himself from the visitors with his ball juggling and precision, but since the team could not click, failed to reduce tally.
Lions forward, Eric Same Mfoumou, who scored a hard-trick, was a torn in the flesh of Sao Tome defenders as sporadically he would engage the defenders into a running battle that would forced the kids from the Gulf of Guinea panting for breath.
The Jittery and lanky Gislain Mvom Mbeyo'o who scored the other two goals for the Lions was the supplier upfront as he mastered the flanks.The baby Lions impermeable defences wall left keeper, Thierry Tangouatio still at the post.
Gislain Mvom after the game, showered praises on the coach, "It is hard work and thanks to the coach, Anatole Abe'e whose instructions made me to score two goals today. We have had two weeks of intensive training which has paid off".
But for the coach of Sao Tome, Edson Braganca, the defeat was a result of age discrepancy, "Our team is made up of kids but Cameroon's side is very old. Because of that, my boys suffered from inferiority complex."
Though the UNIFFAC Cup has been tagged under-17, the general public was not convinced that the lion's squad was in reality, made up of under 17 boys, compared to the lads from Sao Tome.
Sports and Physical Education Minister, Augustine Edjoa during the launching ceremony, lauded the organising committee and stressed that the main aim of the jamboree was to promote football amongst youths in the Central African Sub-region and called on all the teams to exercise fair play and solidarity.
Iya Mohammed, UNIFFAC president, praised the president of the Youth Football organising Committee, Henry Njalla Quan, for the preparations done so far and concluded that the competition was created to promote integration in the Central African Sub-region, CEMAC Zone, since football speaks a universal language, and knows no geographical, political or tribal barriers. He continued that football is a factor of peace and harmony.
The competition has been divided into pool A that consists of Cameroon, Chad and Sao Tome & Principe, while Pool B is made up of Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo.
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