AFCON

AMAZING FACTS – TAKE AWAYS IN THE CAMEROON –NIGERIA AFCON ROUND OF 16 DUEL

Published

6 years ago

July 3, 2019

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

The Round of 16 pairings of the Africa Cup of Nations have thrown up intriguing fixtures. Most of the eight matches are potentially explosive, rubbishing the initial permutations of an easy pairing for Nigeria if the team had topped Group B.

Madagascar will now face DR Congo, team that cannot be easily wished away. A third placed Guinea in Nigeria’s group will also face a tough opposition Algeria, pointing to the fact that Round of 16 does not offer any easy match.

Nigeria are paired with their familiar opponents, Cameroon in what is potentially an explosive encounter especially if previous encounters are to be considered.

As usual, www.sportsvillagesquare.com takes an insightful look at the match and comes out with the following points of interest.

Sports Village Square records that this will be Nigeria’s 90 match in Africa Cup of Nations’ history since the 6-3 loss to United Arab Republic, now Egypt on 24 November 1963 in Kumasi, Ghana.

The Saturday encounter marks Cameroon’s 84^th match, even though the country have made two more appearances than Nigeria’s 18^th at the Egypt 2019 edition.

Both Nigeria and Cameroon led their respective Egypt 2019 groups until their last matches. While Nigeria surrendered Group B leadership to Madagascar on Sunday, Cameroon on Tuesday also failed to live up to expectations and were held to a goalless draw by lower rated Benin, thus surrendering Group F leadership to rivals, Ghana.

Nigeria and Cameroon were involved in payment disputes in the current championship. Cameroon players initially refused to board their flight to Egypt, insisting on increase in allowances. Nigerian players initially boycotted training, asking that their allowances for the win against Burundi be paid.

The two teams have experienced goal drought, scoring just two goals each, in three matches. Nigeria beat Burundi and Guinea 1-0 respectively while Cameroon’s only goals in the tournament were scored in the 2-0 defeat of Guinea Bissau.

Nigeria’s goalkeeper in the match with Madagascar, Ikechukwu Ezenwa made his Super Eagles’ debut in a World Cup qualifying match with Cameroon in September 2017.

Nigeria’s legendary Muda Lawal scored the last of his 11 goals for Nigeria in a match with Cameroon in the final match of the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations.

It is 28 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 knockout qualifying duel.

Nigeria’s legendary goalkeeper, Emmanuel Okala last featured for Nigeria’s national team in a match with Cameroon on February 2, 1980 at the then Liberty Stadium, Ibadan. The match ended goalless.

The Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan hosted its first international match when Nigeria beat Cameroon 2-0 on June 10, 1989 in a World Cup qualifying encounter.

Cameroon’s first three in five titles of the Africa Cup of Nations were achieved beating Nigeria in 1984, 1988 and 2000.

Cameroon has never beaten Nigeria in any other Africa Cup of Nations’ duel apart from the final match. There are three instances; in 1988, both played 1-1 in group match, in 1992 Nigeria beat Cameroon 2-1 in the classification match while also achieving the same result at the quarterfinals of the 2004 edition.

Nigeria’s Josiah Dombraiye was the first scorer at Cameroon’s Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé when the arena was commissioned on February 13, 1972. Nigeria won 2-1, courtesy of the brace by Dombraiye.

Cameroon have failed to beat Nigeria in the last five consecutive confrontations starting from a 3-0 loss at the 2003 LG Cup in Lagos, 2-1 loss at Tunisia 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, 3-0 loss in a friendly match at Vise, Belgium in October 2015, a humiliating 4-0 loss to Super Eagles and a 1-1 draw in Yaoundé in 2017.

The most pronounced of Nigeria versus Cameroon encounters is the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations’ final match, which ended in penalty shootout that Nigeria controversially lost. The turning point was Victor Ikpeba’s penalty kick, which was thought not to have crossed the goal line. Several television clips showed it was a goal. Even Ikpeba’s reaction also added to the drama as he held his hands on his head in anguish after the kick. If VAR had been in existence then, the final outcome of the 2000 final could have been different.

Samuel Okwaraji’s only goal for Nigeria was scored against Cameroon on March 17, 1988 in Rabat Morocco. It was also Nigeria’s joint fastest Africa Cup of Nations goal, coming in the second minute, just like that of Segun Odegbami against Algeria in 1980.

Saturday’s match will be the 23^rd clash of both Nigeria and Cameroon. Sports Village Square can confirm that in spite of the intimidating stature of the Indomitable Lions, results have always been in Nigeria’s favour. In 22 matches, Nigeria won 13 times as against three clear victories by Cameroon. The remaining sixwere drawn – including the February 13, 2000 Africa Cup final in which penalty kicks were used as tie-breaker.

Nigeria vs. Cameroon: Head-to-Head

P W D L F A GD

Nigeria 22 13 6 3 36 17 +19

Cameroon 22 3 6 13 17 36 -19

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
8 Feb.2004 (Afcon – Monastir) Cameroon 1-2 Nigeria
11 Oct. 2015 (F-Vise, Belgium) Cameroon 0-3 Nigeria
1Sep. 2017 (WCq – Uyo) Nigeria 4-0 Cameroon
4 Sep. 2017 (WCq – Yaounde) Cameroon 1-1 Nigeria

AFCON

Royal Air Maroc named official partner for AFCON 2025, WAFCON 2024

Published

1 week ago

April 19, 2025

Kunle Solaja

The African Football Confederation (CAF) and Royal Air Maroc (RAM) have sealed a historic strategic partnership that grants Morocco’s national airline the status of “Official Global Partner” for upcoming major African football competitions.

The agreement was signed Saturday morning in Casablanca, in the presence of Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaâ.

This partnership encompasses several prestigious tournaments, including the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (AFCON) 2025 (December 21, 2025 – January 18, 2026) and CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (WAFCON) 2024 (July 5-26, 2025).

The agreement also covers CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF Champions League 2024/2025 Finals, CAF Confederation Cup 2024/2025 Finals, and the CAF Women’s Champions League 2025.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe voiced enthusiasm about the collaboration.

“We are excited about the partnership between CAF and Royal Air Maroc, a world-class airline that will provide comfort and fly NationalTeams participating in the CAF competitions,” he said.

“We are confident that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will be the most successful AFCON in the history of this competition.”

The agreement strengthens RAM’s footprint across Africa and globally, solidifying its role as a strategic gateway between Africa and the rest of the world. It also aligns with Morocco’s emergence as an international sports hub, with the country preparing to host AFCON 2025 and co-host the FIFA World Cup 2030.

RAM’s Chairman and CEO Hamid Addou stated: “This historic partnership with CAF aligns fully with our strategic vision as an airline deeply rooted in Africa and committed to its development.”

“Royal Air Maroc doesn’t just connect destinations; it builds bridges between cultures and passions. By supporting the continent’s biggest football competitions, we reaffirm our role as a facilitator of human and sporting exchanges,” he continued.

500,000 supporters expected

Beyond its partnership role, RAM will implement an exceptional operational system to meet increased demand during CAF competitions. The airline plans to welcome over 500,000 supporters for AFCON 2025.

“We believe we will surpass this figure by far,” revealed Addou. “We will be ready to accommodate these supporters across Royal Air Maroc’s entire network.”

The airline intends to double seat capacity from qualified countries already served by RAM, such as Dakar, Abidjan, Cairo, Tunis, Bamako, Lagos, and Douala.

RAM will also intensify flight frequencies from European cities with large African communities, including Paris, Brussels, Milan, London, Marseille, Lyon, Madrid, and Barcelona.

Additionally, the airline will establish a dedicated program for domestic air transport of national teams, shuttling them between their base camps and host cities.

This positioning establishes RAM as the primary connector between Africa and Europe through its Casablanca hub. FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaâ noted that the contract “reinforces Royal Air Maroc’s first-rate leadership role in Africa.”

“Royal Air Maroc is no stranger to football,” Lekjaâ added. “It has always supported generations of our athletes and footballers here in Morocco.”

“With this expertise and experience, they will contribute significantly to making AFCON 2025 Morocco exceptional, a historic turning point in African football, cultural coexistence and African cultural exchange,” he concluded.

Addou stressed RAM’s commitment to African unity: “We are all extremely proud to be African, and in every corner of this vast and magnificent continent, we share the same ambition—to actively contribute to Africa’s development and influence.”

The RAM CEO concluded by inviting everyone to upcoming CAF calendar events: “We’ll see you very soon for the great moments ahead in the CAF calendar, particularly the Women’s AFCON starting in July and, of course, the men’s AFCON, which kicks off on December 25.”

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

AFCON

Morocco speeds up stadium upgrades ahead of AFCON 2025

Published

1 week ago

April 18, 2025

Kunle Solaja

The presidents of the regional councils concerned by the hosting of the matches of the Africa Cup of Nations (Morocco-2025) unanimously affirmed that the implementation of infrastructure projects in anticipation of this continental event “is progressing at a sustained pace”, declaring themselves “fully mobilized” to crown with success the major sporting events scheduled in the Kingdom.

They specified, in statements to the press in Rabat following a meeting at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior devoted to the assessment of the progress of the construction and rehabilitation works of the stadiums, that major sports infrastructure projects are underway in the six host cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Marrakech and Agadir.

The President of the Casablanca-Settat Regional Council, Abdellatif Maâzouz, announced that the projects planned for upcoming international sporting events, in particular the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup, “are proceeding under good conditions.”

The projects related to the organisation of the AFCON will be ready by next July at the latest, he assured, specifying that there is a clear vision regarding the preparations underway for the AFCON and the 2030 World Cup, both in terms of equipment and organisational arrangements related to human resources and animation.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

AFCON

‘Land of Football’ is ‘Kingdom of Light’ as Moroccan Tourism Office and Football Federation Strike Accord

Published

2 weeks ago

April 14, 2025

Kunle Solaja

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Morocco’s football federation and tourism office have signed a groundbreaking agreement to establish the country as a major football and tourism destination leading to the milestone 2030 World Cup when the global football tournament clocks a century.

The Moroccan football body and the Tourism Office are building on the national team’s recent international success.

Though with just one success in the Africa Cup of Nations, Moroccan football soars higher than the rest in Africa and the Arab world at the World Cup.

Apart from being the only African and Arab country to have reached the World Cup semi-final stage, Morocco in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico became the first African team not to be defeated in a World Cup match when they forced Bulgaria to a 1-1 draw on 11 June.

Again, in Mexico, this time at the 1986 World Cup, Morocco became the first African team to top a group and cross the group stage.

They were just two minutes away from a major upset of West Germany in the round of 16 before Lothar Matthäus’ back-breaking goal.

The success of the football team and the tourism potential of Morocco have found a harmonious chord.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and the National Moroccan Tourism Office (ONMT) will work together under the banner “Morocco, Land of Football,” placing the sport at the heart of the country’s tourism strategy.

“More than an institutional partnership, this convention is a shared vision: that of a Morocco that shines through football and makes it a lever for promotion, pride and tourist attractiveness,” ONMT said in a statement released after the signing.

The timing of this collaboration is strategic, coming ahead of two major sporting events: the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.

The initiative builds on widespread public enthusiasm following the Atlas Lions’ historic World Cup performance in 2022.

Under the agreement, both organizations will implement an integrated communication strategy combining visibility campaigns, influence marketing, and joint promotional activities.

The initiative will mobilize iconic figures from Moroccan football to bring this vision to life, to showcase the country’s world-class sporting facilities, rich cultural heritage, and diverse tourist attractions.

ONMT has launched a major offensive at making Morocco, the ultimate tourism and business destination as the clock ticks down to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations holding in December.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H