Cameroon: Olympic Champions and possible favourites?
Cameroon's soccer player Lauren Etame celebrates second goal against Chile during the Olympic semifinal match, September 26, 2000. Cameroon beat Chile 2-1 and avanced for the final.
Photo: Jose Miguel Gomez, Reuters
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The perspectives for Cameroon's future cannot be assessed highly enough, if measured against their almost perfect record in 2000. At the beginning of the year they landed a major success in defeating local rivals Nigeria in the final of the African Cup at Lagos National Stadium. Although their victory was achieved only after a penalty shoot-out, this did nothing to dampen the celebrations of the "Indomitable Lions", now re-awakened after years in the doldrums. And with two wins and six goals they have also notched up a dream start to their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Cameroons Patrick Mboma (L) gets to the ball ahead of USA's Danny Califf during their men's Sydney 2000 Olympic Soccer match.
Photo: Simon Baker, Reuters
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At the Olympic football tournament in September the "Comeback Kings", as an Australian newspaper dubbed them, proved to be veritable experts of survival. First they overcame the shock of a Brazilian equaliser in injury time of their quarter-final by hitting back with a Golden Goal shortly afterwards. In the semi-final Cameroon looked to be on their way out after an own goal just before the end until Mboma, Africa's Footballer of the Year in 2000, and Etame Mayer turned the tables to book a place in the final. And a two-goal lead in Stadium Australia was not enough for Spain to win, either. To cap it all, even world champions France, playing at home, were forced to pay tribute to Cameroon's technical and athletic ability.
Cameroon's soccer players celebrate the second goal of Lauren Etame during the Olympic semifinal match played on September 26, 2000. Cameroon beat Chile 2-1 and avanced for the final.
Photo: Jose Miguel Gomez, Reuters
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Cameroon's run of success stands out for a number of reasons. On the one hand they possess a lot of young talent. At least half the African Championship winning side also played at the Olympics. And in Olympic coach Jean-Paul Akono a local manager has been entrusted with leading the national side to new heights. If he fails, it will not be down to his squad, because there will not be many better at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2001. The contrasting front pairing of Samuel Eto'o (Real Mallorca, 20) and Patrick Mboma (Parma, 31) are capable of putting the fear of God into any defence. In Geremi (Real Madrid) and Lauren Etame Mayer (Arsenal) the squad also includes two prominent figures with current experience of playing in the UEFA Champions League, and goalkeeper Idriss Carlos Kameni of Le Havre, at just 17 years of age, is one of the most spectacular in the business despite (or precisely because of?) his tender years.
| N° |
Pos |
Popular Name |
Shirt Name |
Club |
D.O.B. |
| [ 1] |
GK |
ALIOUM Boukar |
ALIOUM B |
Samsunspor (TUR) |
03-Jan-72 |
| [ 2] |
DF |
TCHATO Bill |
TCHATO B |
Montpellier (FRA) |
14-May-75 |
| [ 3] |
DF |
WOME Pierre |
WOME NLEND |
Bologna (ITA) |
26-Mar-79 |
| [ 4] |
DF |
SONG Rigobert |
SONG GAHANAG |
West Ham Utd. (ENG) |
01-Jul-76 |
| [ 5] |
DF |
KALLA Raymond |
KALLA R |
Extremadura (ESP) |
22-Apr-75 |
| [ 6] |
DF |
NJANKA Pierre |
NJANKA P |
Strasbourg (FRA) |
15-Mar-75 |
| [ 7] |
MF |
TCHOUTANG Bernard |
TCHOUTANG B |
Roda Kerkrade (NED) |
02-Sep-76 |
| [ 8] |
MF |
NJITAP Geremi |
NJITAP FOTSO |
Real Madrid (ESP) |
20-Dec-78 |
| [ 9] |
FW |
ETOO Samuel |
ETOO FILS |
Real Mallorca (ESP) |
10-Mar-81 |
| [10] |
FW |
MBOMA Patrick |
MBOMA DEM |
Parma (ITA) |
15-Nov-70 |
| [11] |
MF |
ETAME Lauren |
ETAME MAYER |
Arsenal (ENG) |
19-Jan-77 |
| [12] |
GK |
SONGOO Jacques |
SONGOO |
Deportivo La Coruna (ESP) |
17-Mar-64 |
| [13] |
DF |
NTIECHE Daniel |
NTIECHE |
Sable Batie |
24-Jan-82 |
| [14] |
MF |
EPALLE Joel |
EPALLE J |
Panahaiki (GRE) |
20-Feb-78 |
| [15] |
MF |
ALNOUDJI Nicolas |
ALNOUDJI N |
Rizespor (TUR) |
09-Dec-79 |
| [16] |
DF |
TCHATCHOUA Olivier |
TCHATCHOUA O |
Sable Batie |
04-Apr-82 |
| [17] |
MF |
FOE Marc Vivien |
FOE |
Olympique Lyonnais (FRA) |
01-May-75 |
| [18] |
FW |
NDIEFI Pius |
NDIEFI |
Sedan |
07-May-75 |
| [19] |
DF |
PENSEE Michel |
PENSEE BILONG |
Anji Makhachkala (RUS) |
16-Jun-73 |
| [20] |
MF |
OLEMBE Salomon |
OLEMBE S |
Nantes (FRA) |
08-Dec-80 |
| [21] |
FW |
JOB Joseph Desire |
JOB |
Middlesbrough (ENG) |
01-Dec-77 |
| [22] |
MF |
NGOM KOME Daniel |
DANIEL |
Levante (ESP) |
19-May-80 |
| [23] |
GK |
KAMENI Idriss |
KAMENI I |
Le Havre (FRA) |
18-Feb-84 |
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