The Indomitable Lions will begin their qualifying battle against Mauritania for the Gabon 2017 Africa Cup of Nations at the Omnisports stadium in Yaoundé on Sunday.

After camping in Lisses (France) and two friendly matches against Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Cameroonian team returned to the capital yesterday.

Armed with a win against the Stallions (3-2) and a draw against the Leopards (1-1), the Indomitable Lions firmly await the Mauritanian team.

However, Mauritania whose team arrived today in Cameroon will not take the match lightly either. The determined side had good results in their recent match. They beat Senegal (1-0) last Sunday at the Olympic Stadium in Nouakchott, in a friendly.

The French coach of the team, Corentin Martins who has been with them for a few months is ready to lead his team to victory. "You have to believe but we are here to learn alongside the willpower to win. We will give our utmost best to qualify. Mauritania will play well”, he told the Mauritanian press.

His philosophy is to win and to instill a culture of winning. According to Martins, his goal is to urge his players to consistently have the ball in their possession and constant persistence, with the aim of stifling the opponent.

However, Oumar Ndiaye, the captain of the team is very doubtful of participating in Sunday's game. He suffered an injury in his right thigh in a friendly.

The match will be led by a trio of Guinean referees; Yakhouba Keïta, Aboubacar Doubouya and Issa Soumah.

A total of 51 countries in 13 groups will take part in the playoffs that begins this weekend. Only the first of each group will get their passport to the AFCON in Gabon. They will be joined by the two best runners-up.

Mauritania has never played in the final phase of the AFCON and her only participation in the African Nations Championship was in South Africa.