Cameroon’s hopes of a strong World Cup qualification campaign were stunted on Wednesday March 19 when they were held to a goalless draw by Eswatini, after travel difficulties disrupted their preparations.
Despite boasting a squad featuring Premier League players like Andre Onana and Bryan Mbeumo, the Indomitable Lions struggled to break down the southern African side, who secured their first point of the campaign.
Cameroon arrived in Nelspruit, South Africa, only 15 hours before the match after a series of travel disruptions. Their flight from Cameroon was delayed, causing them to miss their original landing in Nelspruit as the airport had closed for the night. Instead, they disembarked in Johannesburg, where they faced a further delay of three hours before embarking on a five-hour bus journey to Nelspruit. The late arrival and disrupted preparations were reflected in a listless performance that left them with just a point in the Group D standings, still leading with nine points but only two ahead of Libya and Cape Verde.
In other World Cup qualification action, Tunisia extended their lead in Group H to five points with a 1-0 away win over Liberia, thanks to an early goal from Hazem Mastouri. Meanwhile, Madagascar made a strong start under new coach Corentin Martins, securing a 4-1 victory over the Central African Republic. Madagascar now lead Group I with 10 points, just one ahead of Comoros and Ghana, who both play their matches later this week. The qualification campaign continues with several more crucial fixtures on Thursday.