AFCON
NIGERIA V CAMEROON: FAMILIAR FOES CONTEST AFCON 2019 QUARTER FINAL TICKET
BY MUYIWA AKINTUNDE
One of the two perennial rivals in the continent will bow out of Egypt 2019 this evening. Nigerians are hoping the victims would be the defending champions, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
In the quarterfinal pairings of the ongoing tournament, Nigeria versus Cameroon is the second most frequent in AFCON history, next to Ghana against Tunisia.
This is the seventh head-to-head clashes between the neighbours while Ghana and Tunisia will be going after each others jugular for the eighth time on Monday.
Cameroon won the first three of their five African titles beating Nigeria in the final on each occasion – 1984 in Abidjan, 1988 in Rabat and 2000 in Lagos.
But the most painful and unforgettable of Cameroon’s triumphs over their neighbours was right in front of 60,000 vibrant fans when Nigeria co-hosted the 22nd AFCON with Ghana
In the epic final at the National Stadium in Surulere, the Lions silenced the home crowd within the first 31 minutes with goals by Patrick M’Boma and Samuel Eto’o Fils.
But Raphael Ndukwe Chukwu, then a striker with South African club Mamelodi Sundowns got one back on the dot of 45 minutes while Austin JayJay Okocha levelled up two minutes after the restart. In the ensuing penalty shootouts that followed the deadlock, Nigeria lost 3-4 with the penalty miss of Victor Nosa Ikpeba the most agonising.
Perhaps if VAR had then been introduced and applied, that goal would have stood and Nigeria would have lifted the trophy.
Nigeria had their own pound of flesh in Senegal 1992 beating Cameroon 2-1 to win the bronze medal and also in the quarterfinal of Tunisia 2004 winning 2-1.
Both sides settled for 1-1 at the group stage before meeting in the final of Morocco 1988.
Since that year 2000 agonising episode, the Indomitable Lions have never had the upper hand over the Super Eagles.
Most recently, Nigeria walloped their rivals 4-0 on September 1, 2017 and forced 1-1 in Yaounde three days later on their way to 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.
In 22 previous encounters, Cameroon have prevailed only four times, three of them most significant.
In Egypt 2019, Nigeria and Cameroon have failed to live up to their pre-tournament ratings.
The Super Eagles struggled to lone goal victories over Burundi and Guinea and then got shamed 0-2 by Madagascar to finish second in a group they were expected to dominate.
Cameroon, on their part, managed to deliver two second half goals to overcome Guinea-Bissau in their opening match. They then suffered goal drought playing goalless against Ghana and Benin Republic and ending up as runners-up in Group F.
Having not scored in their respective last match, Nigeria and Cameroon have to either rediscover their way to the net or go through the agony of penalty shootouts.
Later in the day, hosts Egypt will be challenged by South Africa, one of the third placed teams at the group stage.
Both sides have met only twice in AFCON with the Pharaohs winning both. At the group stage of South Africa 1996, Egypt did not spare their hosts and won 1-0.
By that time however, the Bafana Bafana had already qualified for the knockout stages as Group A winners having defeated Cameroon (3-0) and Angola (1-0), and would later travel all the way to win the title.
Egypt denied South Africa a successful defence of that title in Burkina Faso 1998 as they won 2-0 in the final.
In all meetings however, South Africa have the advantage over Egypt winning six and drawing one in 11 competitive and friendly clashes.
In Egypt 2019, the hosted finished the group stage unblemished. With no goal conceded and three wins out of three matches, they landed in the last 16 ahead of their final first round game; prolific striker Mohamed Salah and Mahmoud ‘Trezeguet’ Hassan delivering.
RELATED STORIES : https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/2019/07/06/it-is-a-battle-of-equals-says-cameroon-goalkeeper-onana/
On the contrary, South Africa did not have a single goal attempt in defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco in Group D while they beat neighbours Namibia by their only goal of Egypt 2019.
The winners of these matches will square up in the quarterfinals.
AFCON
Nigerians, other nationals can apply, as CAF and Morocco Launch Volunteer Programme for AFCON 2025
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in Morocco have launched the official Volunteer Programme for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, billed to run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
According to CAF, more than 4,000 volunteers will be recruited to play a central role in ensuring the success of Africa’s most prestigious football tournament, which will be staged across six cities and nine stadiums in Morocco.
Applications are now open at volunteers.cafonline.com and will close on 8 October 2025. The opportunity is open to anyone above the age of 18.
Volunteers will be deployed across multiple functional areas, including media operations, spectator services, accreditation, hospitality, and fan engagement. Selected individuals will receive professional training ahead of the competition and work behind the scenes to deliver a memorable AFCON.
CAF stated that the programme is designed not only to support tournament operations but also to create an alumni network of skilled Africans who can contribute to future sporting events across the continent. Successful applicants will benefit from:
- Training and skill development.
- Official uniforms and certificates of participation.
- Networking opportunities with peers and professionals.
- The chance to contribute to Africa’s football legacy.
Volunteer registration opened on 17 September 2025. Selection and training will take place in October and November, with operations commencing in mid-December through to the tournament’s conclusion on 18 January 2026.
CAF described the initiative as an “exciting opportunity” for Africans to contribute to the growth of the continent’s flagship sporting event, which is expected to draw millions of visitors to Morocco.
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AFCON
CAF Security Chief, Nigeria’s Emeruwa, Leads Inspection of Tangier Stadium Ahead of Major Tournaments
Nigeria’s Dr. Christian Emeruwa, President of the Security and Safety Division of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), on Thursday, September 18, led an inspection visit to the Grand Stade de Tangier as preparations intensify for upcoming continental and global football events.
Emeruwa, who heads CAF’s continental security architecture, was joined by CAF Secretary General Véron Mosengo-Omba, senior Moroccan officials, and executives of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
The delegation also included managers of operational companies at the Grand Stade and SONARGES executives.
According to Le 360, the Nigerian official expressed satisfaction with the stadium’s facilities after touring key operational areas, including the main control room with its giant surveillance screen, as well as spectator, player, and VIP access zones.
The inspection was bolstered by the presence of Morocco’s top security and administrative officers—the regional commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, officials of the Auxiliary Forces and Civil Protection, the Wali of Security, the governor in charge of Internal Affairs, and representatives of the National Agency for Public Equipment (ANEP).
A technical meeting followed the tour, where engineers presented recent safety and security upgrades. Among the highlights was the planned installation of a FIFA-standard tarpaulin roof to enhance the venue’s compliance with global hosting requirements.
For Nigeria, the spotlight on Dr. Emeruwa underscores the country’s growing influence in African football administration, particularly in the critical areas of safety and security management for CAF competitions.
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Morocco has received 723 high-end buses from Chinese manufacturer Yutong as part of preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off on December 21.
Yutong said on social media that the fleet “has officially rolled off the production line” and will provide “comprehensive transport services and reliable operational support” during the tournament.
An official handover ceremony was held on Friday at the company’s facility in Zhengzhou, Henan province, attended by Moroccan representatives and Yutong executives.
The buses were designed to cope with Morocco’s terrain and climate, including steep slopes, heat and sandstorms. They feature an independent front axle suspension to navigate narrow city streets and Yutong’s in-house “Blue Core System” for fuel efficiency.
The delivery is the largest single order of Chinese buses in Africa. Yutong will station more than 100 technicians in Morocco to provide training, maintenance and round-the-clock support during AFCON.
The deal is part of Morocco’s broader transport strategy, which includes plans to purchase 7,000 new buses by 2030—half of them electric—as the country prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
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