The Central African Nations Under-17 Tournament continues on Wednesday with two crucial matches as teams battle for a place in the final phase of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Cameroon aims to maintain momentum
Fresh from their opening victory against the Central African Republic (CAR), Cameroon’s Lion Cubs will take on Gabon, who are looking to bounce back after a disappointing start.
Gabon suffered a 3-1 defeat against the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and must secure a positive result to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Cameroon, on the other hand, will be aiming to build on their strong start and take another step toward securing one of the two available qualification spots.
With confidence high following their first win, the Lion Cubs will look to capitalize on Gabon’s defensive vulnerabilities.
DR Congo faces Central African Republic in key clash
The second match of the day will see the DRC take on the Central African Republic.
After their convincing victory over Gabon, DR Congo is in a strong position but will be wary of a determined CAR side eager to recover from their loss to Cameroon.
For CAR, the disappointment of their opening defeat still lingers, but they now have an opportunity to turn their fortunes around.
A victory against the Congolese would reignite their chances of advancing to the U-17 AFCON.
Match schedule and tournament stakes
Wednesday’s fixtures will be pivotal in shaping the outcome of the tournament.
Gabon and Cameroon will kick off at 13:00, followed by the clash between DR Congo and the Central African Republic at 16:00.
The two highest-ranked teams at the end of the competition will earn qualification for the final phase of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, set to take place in Morocco later this year.