CAMEROON PIP I/COAST TO QUALIFICATION SPOT

Five-time African champions Cameroon have beaten rivals Ivory Coast to the sole qualification slot available to Group D teams in the second round of the African qualifiers for the World Cup 2022 tournament. The Cameroonians were able to beat Ivory Coast to top spot in the group thanks to the first half strike from Lyon forward Karl TokoEkambi.

Toko Ekambi scored the only goal of the game on 21 minutes to lead Cameroon to a slender 1-0 victory over their opponents. With the win, the five-time African Cup of Nations (AFCON) winners were able to topple the Ivorians. Cameroon trailed Ivory Coast by one point ahead of their final group game with the same opposition at the Japoma Stadium in the Cameroonian city of Douala and only a win would give the Indomitable Lions the third round ticket to be one of ten African teams that will contest for the five slots given to the continent for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament.

Lyon attacker Toko Ekambi produced the goods when it mattered the most for Cameroon in front of their home fans. His second goal in the qualifiers was the most important one from a Cameroon. Apart from sealing a place in the third round, the Cameroonians were also able to avenge their 2-1 loss to the Ivorians earlier in the group. In their second group game, Ajax Amsterdam star Sebastien Haller scored two times in the first half to lead Ivory Coast to victory. Moumi Ngamaleu of Young Boys in the Swiss league scored the lone goal for Cameroon.

Cameroon finished their campaign in Group D with 15 points from six games, while the Ivorians had 13 points from six games. Mozambique and Malawi are the final two teams in the group and they finished third and fourth respectively. Mozambique had four points from six matches, while Malawi finished on three points from six matches.