Tipped as the favourites of group E, the four-time African champions will give their all to continue with their fine start in the 2012 African Nations Cup qualifiers. They nailed down Mauritius in a 3-1 victory in their opening game last month.
Ahead of Saturday's clash there was an off-field row over the match venue. Initially, Yaoundé was penned down as the match venue but was shifted to the northern town of Garoua, prompting a row between the teams’ officials.
DR Congo officials are protesting because of a cholera outbreak in Garoua, but the continental football governing body CAF has ruled in Cameroon’s favour.
The Lions are going into this game with a major injury concern. Goalkeeper Carlos Idriss Kameni of Espanyol has been ruled out for three weeks. However, captain Samuel Eto’o, who marked his 100th appearance for the Lions in the game against Mauritius and netted twice is in camp despite initial permission to be excused.
Coach Javier Clemente has also promised to recall in-form Arsenal player Alex Song to bolster the team’s standing.
Redemption Time
DR Congo suffered a painful 4-2 defeat in Lubumbashi against Senegal in their opening 2012 Nations Cup qualifying match. They find themselves in a difficult situation because their next away game against Cameroon will not be a cakewalk, but at the same time it is a must win to restore their hopes of making it to Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
To compound their problems, the team is grappling with how to deal with the mindset that the match venue Garoua is cholera-prone. Although CAF has ruled against their protest, team officials are unhappy.
“It’s an awful decision,” Congo DR coach Robert Nouzaret told Jeune Afrique. “Initially, we were informed that the meeting will be held in Yaoundé. We took our time to make arrangements finding a hotel and all that. And then the Cameroonians decided to relocate the match to Garoua.
“My problem is there has been an outbreak of cholera for several weeks in that town. We are sending players to a danger zone. It is a scandal. We’re putting players’ health at risk. This is all political.”
But they need to put this problem behind them if they really want to leave the west African nation with at least a point. That will be an uphill task before mammoth home support.
They also have injury concerns. Key French-based defenders Larrys Mabiala, Cedric Mongongu and Assani Mulongoti have all been ruled out.
TEAM NEWS
Cameroon
Defender Andre Bikey should be fit to play after suffering bruised ribs in Burnley’s 1-1 draw with Milwall on the weekend.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Guy Roland N'dy Assembe (FC Nantes, France), Jocelyn Mayebi (Maccabi Nazareth, Israël), Hugo Nyamé (Astres Douala).
Defenders : Stéphane Bikey (FC Burnley, England), Gilles Augustin Binya (Neuchâtel Xamax, Switzerland), Henri Bedimo (RC Lens, France), Sébastien Bassong (Tottenham, England), Nicolas Nkoulou (AS Monaco, France), Benoît Assou Ekotto (Tottenham, England), Gaetan Bong (Valenciennes, France), Stéphane Mbia (Olympique de Marseille, France).
Midfielders : Aurélien Chedjou (Lille, France), Marcel Ndjeng (FC Augsbourg, Germany), Jean II Makoun (Olympique Lyonnais, France), Georges Mandjeck (Stade Rennais, France), Joël Matip (Schalke 04, Germany), Eyong Enoh (Ajax Amsterdam, Holland).
Forwards : Henri Bienvenu Ntsama (Young Boys Berne, Switzerland), Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting (Hambourg SV, Germany), Vincent Aboubakar (Valenciennes, France), Franck Songo’o (Real Sociedad, Spain), Aloys Nong (Standard Liège, Belgium), Samuel Eto'o (Inter Milan, Italy).
DR Congo
Media reports have it that the French embassy refused to grant visas to some locally-based Congolese players when they were camping in Mery-sur-Oise, France.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Robert Kidiaba Muteba (TP Mazembe), Yves Makubu Makalambay (unattached), Parfait Mandanda (Altay Izmir) Defenders: Nkulukuta Miala Eric (TP Mazembe), Samy Joel ( Nancy ), Cédric Mongungu (AS Monaco), Joel Kimuaki (TP Mazembe), Assani Mulongoty (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Hérita Ilunga (West Ham), Kasusula Kilisho (TP Mazembe), Isama Penko (DCMP) Midfielders: Yousouf Mulumbu (West Bromwich), Bedi Mbenza (TP Mazembe), Mazowa Nsimbu (Istambul B.B), Pamphil Mihayo (TP Mazembe), Cédric Makiadi (SC Fribourg), Matumona Zola (Raec Mons), Strikers: Alain Kaluyitukadioko (TP Mazembe), Trésor Lualua (Omnia Nicosie), Yves Diba Ilunga (Najran), Dieumerci Mbokani (AS Monaco), Patou Kabangu (TP Mazembe), Lelo Mbele (Bengazi)
PREDICTION
The Indomitable Lions have home advantage in addition to being an experienced side with most of their stars in camp. A defeat would be one of the most shocking outcomes in this qualifier.
Cameroon 2-0 DRC
