Cameroon U-17 soccer selection Tuesday, July 22, lifted the trophy to become the pioneer champions of the maiden edition of the Union of Football Federations of Central Africa, UNIFFAC.

The U-17 cubs beat DR Congo 2-1 at the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC, Sports Complex, Limbe.It was Cameroon's seven-shirted player Marc Ndongo's extra-time goal that confirmed the former's position as champion.

Astres' budding midfielder, Eric Franc Same Mfomou, who also emerged the highest goal-getter of the tournament, opened scores at the 29th minute.This marked Same's fifth goal equals to Chad's Captain, Djikoloum Esai.For the fact that Chad did not play the final, Same was considered the favourite for the highest scorer.

Meanwhile DR Congo's forward, Pembele Liambi, was voted man of the match.The lads from Chad were crowned as best losers after having come from behind to demolish the Central African selection by a similar 2-1 in the third place game.

In honour of the President of the Confederation of African Football, CAF, Issa Hayatou, also present at the final, the tournament was baptised the Issa Hayatou Challenge Cup. UNIFFAC's President cum FECAFOOT, Iya Mohamed, said later in a press conference that it was but normal for them to accord Issa the honour.

He said besides being CAF boss, Issa was also the President of the Organising Committee of the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.Iya also declared that Cameroon was ready to host the competition again if no other country opts to do so.

Equally after a meeting held by UNIFFAC executive officials earlier in the day in Limbe, it was agreed that the next UNIFFAC General Assembly would be held in Douala, come October.

Iya continued that unless there are competitions of this sort between the member countries, the development of football in this part of the continent would remain wanting.

He emphasised that the main goal of the Limbe event was like sowing the seeds for the development of football among the member countries.

"These countries have very eminent football talents at their youth levels. But until there are competitions among these countries like this, they cannot develop." he said.

The UNIFFAC tournament was acclaimed by many as having gone on pretty well. But many fans, who thronged the stadium daily, raised a lot of doubts as to the compatibility of the ages of the players they watched.

In terms of physical appearance, a good lot of the players, with the exception of those from Sao Tome, looked over-aged.This notwithstanding, Thomas Tchio, (ex-OPOPP president) and an ardent supporter of football, was convinced that the players could not have been above seventeen by dint of the fact that they apparently had supportive documents to prove their cases.

Nevertheless, the UNIFFAC executive, earlier in the morning during an evaluation meeting, took the decision to set up a committee that would carry out a thorough screening of all participating players before any of the competitions are held in the future.