Cameroon vs. Morocco: World Cup Spot on the Line

November 13th, 2009 | by: shane | View Comments

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon are set to do battle with the Atlas Lions of Morocco tomorrow at the Complexe Sportif in Fez, Morocco at 15:30 local time which is 10:30 am for those of you on the east coast of the US like myself. For Cameroon the stakes couldn’t be any higher: win and they book their spot in next summer’s World Cup. Fail to win and they will have to hope the result in the match between Gabon and Togo taking place at the same time goes Togo’s way.

The Indomitable Lions hold their fate in their own hands. They can qualify a number of ways but the only acceptable way is by defeating Morocco. Here are all the ways in which Cameroon and Gabon can qualify:

Cameroon will qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup if:
-they defeat Morocco, OR
-Gabon lose to Togo, OR
-Gabon draw with Togo AND:
Cameroon draw with or lose by one goal to Morocco, OR
Cameroon lose by two goals but score two more goals than Gabon.

Gabon will qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup if:
-they defeat Togo AND Cameroon do not defeat Morocco, OR
-they draw with Togo AND:
Cameroon lose to Morocco by at least three goals, OR
Cameroon lose to Morocco by two goals and do not score two more goals than Gabon.

At the end of the day those permutations shouldn’t come into play. This is a match that Cameroon should win. They are playing a weakened opponent who have put in dire performance after dire performance to this date. Cameroon have a better squad of players going into this match and they have the superior motivation. Qualifying for the World Cup is as great a motivation as there is. While qualifying for the Nations Cup is very important for Morocco, it just isn’t the same. Plus a win for Morocco does not guarantee them a Nations Cup spot as if Togo also win then it is no dice for Morocco.

The strategy for Cameroon in this match should simply be to pounce early, often and all day. This is a match that they need to take to Morocco from the opening whistle and they cannot relent until the result is beyond all doubt. Four years ago in the same situation Cameroon were up 1-0 at home against Egypt and relented. Egypt got an equalizer and Cameroon came up short and missed out on the World Cup for the first time since 1986. They must not repeat that mistake this time around. If they can get an early goal then they need to go for the kill.

The key players for Cameroon are likely to be the same men who have steered their revival ever since the 0-0 draw at home against this same Morocco side: Samuel Eto’o, Achille Emana and Jean Makoun. It was Eto’o and Emana who scored the two goals in the win in Libreville against Gabon. It was Eto’o and Makoun scoring the two goals in the home win against Gabon. And it was Emana and Makoun along with Geremi scoring the goals in the home win against Togo. I expect these same three players to deliver tomorrow.

Only five of the players in Cameroon’s squad have been to a World Cup before. Rigobert Song, the most capped player in Cameroonian history among other honors has appeared in three World Cups. Samuel Eto’o has made two prior trips. Geremi was there in 2002 as was Carlos Idriss Kameni though he was a mere 18 years of age at the time and did not feature. Likewise Daniel Ngom Kome was there in 2002 as well playing in two of Cameroon’s three matches. The rest of the squad will be looking to make it to their first ever World Cup.

It is tough to predict the line up for tomorrow as Paul le Guen has only been in charge for three of the qualifiers though only 3 or 4 spots are really questionable. A 4-4-2 will be the formation possibly a diamond shaped 4-1-2-1-2.

We do know that Kameni will be in goal. I expect the center back pairing to be Rigobert Song and Nicolas Nkoulou. Song, who lives to play in the national team shirt, will be replacing the injured Sebastien Bassong. Bassong’s spot in the squad has been given to Georges Mandjeck of second division German club Kaiserslautern. At left back I think Benoit Assou-Ekotto will take back his spot from Henri Bedimo after missing the Togo match through suspension. At right back look for Geremi to get the nod. It will be a four man midfield with Emana and Makoun locks to start. The other two spots are up for grabs. I would guess Alexandre Song and Stéphane M’Bia will get those places though it would be no surprise to see either Landry N’Guemo or Eyong Enoh in the starting eleven. And look for the striking partnership of Eto’o and Achille Webo to continue. Those are the 11 I expect to take the field and try to exorcise the demons from October 2005.

Cameroon will play their normal physical style of game though under le Guen they do not rely on it as much as they did under the stewardship of the inept Otto Pfister. Under Pfister they relied almost exclusively on keeping the opponent at bay and hitting on the counter attack. Under le Guen they have been a more dynamic attacking side and the results reflect as much. They will seek to physically and athletically dominate the Moroccans tomorrow. It is the Cameroonian midfield which should dominate the proceedings with ball winners like M’bia, Makoun and A. Song allowing Emana to create chances for himself as well as Eto’o and Webo. Assou-Ekotto and Geremi from the full back positions should they be the starters will also add an attacking threat, particularly the experienced Geremi. Football matches are usually won in midfield and the Cameroon midfield should be the ones dictating the outcome of tomorrow’s match.

Prediction time: The Atlas Lions are ready to be put out of their misery, all that’s left is to finish the job. Yet, I can’t shake the feeling that Morocco might ruin it all for Cameroon. Of the possible results the only that would surprise me would be an outright win for Morocco. I just don’t see it happening. I can see Cameroon winning this match going away just as easily as a tense draw. At the end of the day I think Cameroon will come through the match as convincing 3-1 winners and thereby making their African record 6th World Cup appearance. I also think Togo will get a result against Gabon, but I don’t want it coming to that.