YAOUNDE — Cameroon coach Jean-Paul Akono has named his squad for the must-win Nations Cup qualifier at home to Cape Verde later this month, and it includes a number of surprises. Report by Supersport
With Cameroon trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Akono has seemingly trawled back through the archives and dusted down some names from a bygone era. Among those listed in his
26-man squad are Modeste Mbami, who last featured for Cameroon under Otto Pfister in March 2009. Others named by Akono include Mohamadou Idrissou and Pierre Webo. Idrissou, at 32, may have felt his time had come and gone with the Indomitable Lions. His previous cap came against the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup.
He also refuted suggestions that the players were too old: “Age does not count as long as the players are physically fit. Once they train and are competitive there is no problem.” Akono’s squad also includes 16-year-old Fabrice Olinga, who is playing in Spain for Malaga.
The players meet in Brussels on October 8, from where they will fly to Yaounde to train ahead of the match.
Squad Goalkeepers: Idriss Carlos Kameni (Malaga, Spain), Ndi Assembe (Nancy, France), Joslain Mayebi (Wrexham, England).
Defenders: Benoit Anbwa (FC Rostov, Russia), Allan Nyom (Granada, Spain), Henri Bedimo (Montpellier, France), Gaetang Bong Bong (Valenciennes, France), Pierre Wome (Cotonsport), Nicolas Nkoulou (Marseille, France), Aurelien Chedjou (Lille, France), Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik (Rennes, France), Dany Nounkeu (Galatasaray, Turkey), Joel Matip (Schalke 04, Germany).
Midfielders: Alex Song (Barcelona, Spain), Modeste Mbami (Al Ittihad, Saudi Arabia), Alain Junior Olle Olle (Varbergs, Sweden), Mohamadou Idrissou (Kaiserslautern, Germany), Achille Emana (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Jean Makoun (Rennes, France), Williams Overtoom (Heracles Almelo, Netherlands), Patrick Mevoungou (Admira Wacker, Austria).
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Attackers: Samuel Eto’o (Anzhi Makhachkala, Russia), Pierre Webo (Istanbul Buyuksehir, Turkey), Vincent Aboubakar (Valenciennes, France), Joel Babanda (Union Sportive de Douala), Fabrice Olinga (Malaga, Spain).
