AFCON 2025 – Cameroon: a victory, but defensive frailties to address before facing Morocco

The job is done for Cameroon. Up against an enterprising South Africa side, the Lions struck at the right moments. The opening goal, scored against the run of play by Junior Tchamadeu, followed by Christian Kofane‘s winning header at the start of the second half, illustrated a constant of the tournament so far: Cameroonian clinical efficiency. Without dominating territorially, Cameroon managed to turn their strong spells into goals, while their opponents created chance after chance without converting them.

At 2-0, the Cameroonians appeared to have done the hardest part. Yet the final quarter of an hour exposed persistent defensive weaknesses. Dropping too deep, struggling in aerial duels and a lack of coordination on the flanks: South Africa found a way through in the 88th minute and could have equalised in stoppage time. This shaky management of the closing stages is a warning sign ahead of facing a more incisive attacking opponent.

Beyond the scoreline, this round-of-16 match confirmed the rise of Christian Kofane, who has become, in just a few matches, the focal point of Cameroon’s attack. His work rate, his runs in behind and his goal instinct weighed heavily on the South African defence.
In midfield, Carlos Baleba also delivered a standout performance: ball-winning, quality passing and control of the tempo. At just 21, he has taken on the role of a leader within a still-young squad.

A collective win, but balance still to be found

This qualification rests above all on Cameroon’s collective values: solidarity, commitment and the ability to suffer together. These are ingredients already seen in the Indomitable Lions’ past successes, a reminder that AFCON is often won as much through mentality as through play.
That said, the match also exposed the current limits of the defensive setup, particularly in a three-man defence that is still a work in progress and lacks fluency.

Against host nation Morocco, Cameroon will need to show a more balanced side. The errors seen against South Africa could be heavily punished by sharper attackers. Qualification is secured and the momentum is positive, but there remains real room for improvement.

Cameroon are moving forward, buoyed by their clinical edge and team spirit. What remains now is to shore up their defensive foundations if they hope to go further in this CAN 2025.