Cameroon’s hopes of extending their streak of TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) appearances were dashed in dramatic fashion as the Central African Republic claimed a stunning 2-1 victory in Bafoussam on Saturday.
Despite holding a 1-0 advantage from the first leg, the Indomitable Lions A’ fell short on away goals, marking their first absence from the tournament in seven editions.
While the home side lament their failure, the Fauves celebrate their first-ever qualification for TotalEnergies CAF CHAN 2024, a historic achievement for the country.
The home side started strongly, with Angel Yondjo Matah putting Cameroon ahead in the 31st minute, latching onto a precise pass from Nchindo John Bosco.
The goal seemed to reinforce their position, but the Fauves had other ideas. Barry Nelson converted a penalty just before half-time to level the score and shift momentum in the visitors’ favor.
As Cameroon pushed hard for the decisive goal in the second half, their dominance failed to yield results.
Their fate was sealed in the 87th minute when Bertillon Arnold Yangana struck for the Central African Republic, sparking wild celebrations and leaving the home crowd in stunned silence.
This shocking elimination marks a bitter disappointment for Cameroon, who had reached the semi-finals in the 2021 edition.
Elsewhere, Burkina Faso delivered a stunning comeback to eliminate Cote d’Ivoire, while DR Congo asserted dominance to secure their place in the TotalEnergies CAF CHAN final phase during Saturday’s decisive qualifiers.
At the Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako, Burkina Faso overturned a two-goal deficit from the first leg to equalize on aggregate against Cote d’Ivoire.
Goals from Aboubacar Traoré in the 31st minute and Franck Kanté in the 54th minute erased the Elephants’ advantage.
The dramatic tie culminated in a penalty shootout, where the Stallions held their nerve, converting four spot-kicks to Cote d’Ivoire’s two, sealing their place in CHAN 2024.
Meanwhile, in Kinshasa, DR Congo upheld expectations with a 3-1 victory over Chad.
TP Mazembe’s Oscar Kabwit set the tone early, scoring in the 10th minute, but Chad equalized through Ahmat Abdraman in the 23rd minute, keeping their dreams of a first-ever CHAN appearance alive.
However, the Leopards A’ found their rhythm after the break, with Jonathan Mokonzi restoring the lead in the 48th minute before Nyembo Ntumba added a third four minutes later to secure the win.
