Cameroon’s U17 Baby Lions kicked off their UNIFFAC campaign in dominant fashion, dismantling the Central African Republic (CAR) 9-0 in their opening match at the Annex Reunification Stadium in Douala.
The opening fixture of the Central African Football Federations’ Union (UNIFFAC) U-17 Tournament, played on February 16, saw Cameroon deliver a scintillating display, overwhelming CAR with a commanding 7-0 lead by halftime. Coach Alioum Saidou’s side showcased clinical finishing and relentless attacking play, leaving their opponents with no chance. Franck Mafany Luma of Best Stars Academy stole the show with a hat-trick, while Njanja Kolly and Noël Doumbogo bagged a brace each.
Oscar Etoundi and Guy Yimga also got on the scoresheet, completing a ruthless attacking performance. With one of the two available qualification spots for the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco up for grabs, Cameroon now shifts focus to their second match against Gabon on February 19. A win would all but secure their place in the continental showpiece. The UNIFFAC U-17 Zonal Tournament, running from February 16 to 28 in Douala, features four teams: Cameroon, Gabon, CAR, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).
The competition follows a round-robin format, with the top two teams booking their spots at the 2025 U-17 AFCON, scheduled for March 30 to April 19 in Morocco. The AFCON tournament will also serve as a qualifier for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. Notably, Congo was initially set to participate but was disqualified by FIFA due to internal disputes within their federation. In 2015, Cameroon failed to qualify for the U-17 AFCON after being eliminated in the UNIFFAC U-17 tournament. The qualification failure was a significant setback, as the team had a solid reputation for youth football. Despite these setbacks, Cameroon has typically been a strong contender at the U-17 level and has qualified for several editions of the U-17 AFCON, producing notable players who have gone on to have successful professional careers.