U-17 AFCON: Cote d’Ivoire stuns cameroon in pre-tournament friendly

The Under-17 Indomitable Lions of Cameroon endured a tough 3-0 loss to their Ivorian counterparts in a friendly match held in Casablanca, Morocco, ahead of the 2025 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, which kicks off on March 30.

Despite a dominant performance at the recent Central African Football Federations’ Union, UNIFFAC Under-17 tournament, where the young Lions scored 22 goals and conceded only once, they struggled to find their rhythm against the Baby Elephants in this latest encounter. The loss came under challenging conditions for the Cameroonian team, who had only arrived in Casablanca at 1pm on the same day of the match. With little time to recover from the long journey, the players took to the pitch at 8 PM, which may have contributed to their underwhelming performance.

Coach Alioum Saidou remains optimistic, viewing the loss as a valuable learning experience for his team. “We had some travel fatigue, and this is a test match that will help us understand where we stand as we continue our preparations for the upcoming tournament,” Saidou remarked after the match. This defeat followed an impressive campaign in the UNIFFAC U17 tournament, where the Cameroonian team dominated their opponents.

With victories of 9-0 against the Central African Republic, 7-1 against Gabon, and a 6-0 final triumph over the Democratic Republic of Congo, the U-17 Indomitable Lions showed their attacking prowess and defensive solidity, securing their qualification for the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations. Looking ahead, the team will face off against Burkina Faso on March 31st, in what promises to be a challenging match in Group B of the U-17 AFCON.

In addition to Burkina Faso, Cameroon will compete against South Africa and Egypt in the group stage, with hopes of advancing to the knockout rounds and potentially securing a spot in the U-17 World Cup. Coach Saidou’s focus is on the long-term goal of developing the team’s mental and physical resilience, despite the defeat. “We will work on correcting our mistakes and ensure that the team is better prepared for the challenges that lie ahead,” he concluded.