Cameroon qualify for 2025 Afcon finals

Cameroon booked their place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations courtesy of a slender 1-0 win over Kenya at the Mandela National Stadium yesterday.

Boris Enow’s brilliant free-kick in the second half settled the contest in Kampala as Marc Brys’ side maintained their unbeaten record in Group J of qualifying to open up a six-point gap to the third-placed Harambee Stars.

Andre Onana was called into action after just six minutes following a swift Kenya attack down the right flank, but Michael Olunga scuffed his shot from range to present a comfortable save for the goalkeeper.

The visitors created their first chance eight minutes later when Bryan Mbeumo found Vincent Aboubakar in space on the edge of the box and his first-time shot was parried behind by Bryne Odhiambo for a corner.

Engin Firat’s side squandered a golden opportunity on 21 minutes after Olunga latched onto a loose pass and advanced into the box, but he chose to pass instead of shooting and John Avire fired over from a tight angle on the left.

Onana made another routine save from Olunga’s looping header on the half-hour mark, while Odhiambo did well to turn Martin Hongla’s strike from range around the right post moments later.

Pierre Kunde somehow stabbed the ball wide of the left post from six yards out on 34 minutes after bursting into the area and Nouhou Tolo had the ball in the back of the net six minutes later, although the goal was ruled out after he strayed into an offside position from a free-kick.

Odhiambo pulled off a fine save when he got a firm glove to Michael Ngadeu’s header from a cross on the left on 52 minutes and the Indomitable Lions survived a scare three minutes later as Rooney Onyango’s fierce strike from inside the area on the right crashed back off the left post, with Olunga only managing to poke the rebound wide of the right post.

However, Kenya’s resolve was finally broken on 63 minutes and it took something special as Enow curled a sumptuous free-kick beyond Odhiambo inside the right post to give Cameroon the lead. — SuperSport.