Soccer News of Monday, 8 October 2012

Source: Cameroon Tribune

Lions Begin Training on Monday

The Indomitable Lions will begin training in Yaounde tomorrow for the upcoming crucial encounter against Cape Verde on October 14, 2012. The coach, Jean Paul Akono who travelled to Belgium on Friday, started regrouping the players in Brussels on Saturday October 6th. The entire squad will travel to the country today. The match qualified as a high risk encounter by the Confederation of African Football, counts for the return leg last round qualifiers for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. Cameroon faces the match with a two-point deficit having been beaten 0-2 by Cape Verde in the away leg in Praia.

To turn the tables, Cameroon is leaving no stone unturned. On Thursday, October 5th, there was a preparatory meeting at the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education during which Akono gave a positive balance sheet of his mission to Europe to meet some key players of the squad who all promised to honour the nation's call. As of now, only Choupo Moting is certain not to respect the rendezvous due to injury. The cases of Bedimo and Chedjou are closely followed up by the medical staff of the national team.

In Yaounde, the Lions will have two training sessions a day in the morning and afternoon periods at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium. There will be two press discussions with the players on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10.45 to 11.30 and the pre-match press conference will take place on Friday October 12. The rest of the training sessions will be held behind closed doors.

According to the Secretary General of Fecafoot, Tombi A Roko, Cape Verde has already been on an advanced mission to Cameroon and will be arriving Cameroon on the eve of the encounter to put up at the Djeuga Palace hotel. Unconfirmed sources say Cape Verde is asking for up to 500 visas whereas only 50 visas were granted to Cameroon for Praia though the demand was higher. The trio to officiate the match all come from Egypt and the 38 975 tickets earmarked for the encounter will go on sale on Tuesday, October 9th.