The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers kicked off with a bang, as both Nigeria and Cameroon overcame chaotic preparations to secure victories in their opening matches.
Nigeria, led by caretaker coach Augustine Eguavoen, faced Benin in Uyo. Ademola Lookman, the lone African nominee for the 2024 Ballon d’Or men’s award, starred for the Super Eagles, scoring twice to help them secure a 3-0 win. The first goal came in first-half added time, and he added another in the 83rd minute. Reigning African Footballer of the Year, Victor Osimhen, who recently joined Galatasaray on loan, added a goal in the 78th minute. The win puts Nigeria top of Group D, two points ahead of Rwanda.
The match was preceded by a coaching crisis, as German manager Bruno Labbadia withdrew his acceptance of the coaching position after the Nigerian Football Federation declined to pay his undisclosed monthly salary tax.
Cameroon, meanwhile, had its own share of turmoil ahead of their Group J clash with Namibia. The match was initially set for Douala, then moved to Yaounde, before finally being played in Garoua. Former Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o, who heads the national football federation, threatened to field the national under-20 team instead of the senior side due to a power struggle with the sports ministry. The federation received the passports of the senior players only hours before the match, adding to the drama.
Despite all the chaos, Cameroon emerged victorious, thanks to a second-half goal by veteran striker Vincent Aboubakar, who was the top scorer at the 2022 AFCON with eight goals. This victory puts Cameroon at the top of Group J, two points ahead of Zimbabwe and Kenya, who drew 0-0 on Friday.
The contrasting narratives of Nigeria and Cameroon in their opening AFCON qualifiers demonstrate the challenges faced by African football teams, both on and off the field. Both teams will be hoping to overcome these challenges and progress in the competition.
