It is in preparation for the double confrontation against South Africa to take place on March 26^th and 29^th respectively.

After five months of recess the Indomitable Lions resumed training yesterday March 21, in Mbankomo near Yaounde in view of the upcoming double confrontation against South Africa counting for the third and fourth days of play of the qualifiers for the 2017 AFCON to take place in Gabon. Out of the 27 players called to camp by the new boss of the Lions, Hugo Broos, only fifteen have so far answered present. They include Ndy Assembe, Allan Nyom, Abuna Ndjana, Sebastien Bassong, Ngwen Jonathan, Stephane Mbia, Georges Mandjeck, Landry Nguemo, Dani Ndi, Siani, Marvin Matip, Christian Bekamenga, Salli Edgar, and Toko Ekambi. More arrivals were expected yesterday to complete the list to 25 and not 27 as earlier planned.

There are several absences recorded, the most conspicuous being the absence of Alexandre Song who turned down Hugo Broos’s invitation in conformity with his decision to put an end to his international career. Cameroon will not also be benefitting from the services of Maxim Choupo Moting, Oyongo Bitolo and Benjamin Moukandji who are convalescing after sustaining injuries with their respective clubs. To make up for the vacuum created by these absences, Hugo Broos has called up Abuna Ndzana to replace Oyongo Bitolo while George Mandjeck will be replacing Alexandre Song.

The Lions are training twice a day. Today’s session will be open to the public followed by a press conference at 10 am. There will be only one training session on Thursday as the team leaves for Buea in the afternoon via Douala. On Friday there will be another press conference while the away leg encounter takes place on Saturday in Limbe. On Sunday the team was travel back to Douala where they will board a special flight to Durban-South Africa. On Monday March 28^th, there will be a pre-match press conference in Durban before the return leg showdown on Tuesday, March 29^th.

It is worthy to note that Cameroon is currently leading Group M in the qualifiers for the 2017 AFCON with six points and may well qualify for the final phase of the continental football jamboree after the double confrontation with South Africa even before the last group games against Mauritania and Gambia. It will be the first time the Lions will be playing in Cameroon since the last confrontation against Niger counting for the qualifiers for the 2018 world cup in Russia which ended in a zero-all tie.