Cameroon face Comoros test as David Pagou begins CAN 2027 campaign

Cameroon begin their CAN 2027 qualifying campaign against Comoros at 20:00 on Thursday, 24 September, with the Indomitable Lions aiming to give David Pagou a winning start at the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua.

The match will be Pagou’s first in charge of Cameroon on home soil since his appointment. Having previously overseen several training camps away from the country, the Cameroon coach will now experience the support of a home crowd, particularly in the north, where he also manages local club Coton Sport.

Cameroon’s target is straightforward: secure three points and build early confidence in a qualifying group for the tournament, which will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The match kicks off at 20:00 at the Roumde Adjia Stadium.

Garoua offers positive memories

Cameroon’s most recent appearance in Garoua ended in victory. The Indomitable Lions beat Burundi 1-0 in a closely contested game, with Vincent Aboubakar scoring the decisive goal.

The home crowd at Roumde Adjia helped Cameroon through that difficult encounter, and Pagou will hope his side can draw on the same atmosphere to claim another important win.

Comoros, however, are unlikely to make the trip simply to defend. The Coelacanths have developed a reputation in recent years for troubling some of Africa’s leading nations. Organised and resilient, they include players based in Europe and are capable of attacking quickly on the counter.

The Comoros side is no longer the team it was a decade ago and will arrive in Garoua without fear, targeting at least a point.

The last meeting between the two countries came at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. In a remarkable match, Comoros played with 10 men and without a recognised goalkeeper, yet still tested Cameroon before losing 2-1 at the Stade d’Olembe. The game underlined the Coelacanths’ refusal to give up.

Cameroon’s expected line-up

Pagou is expected to retain the 3-5-2 formation that helped him guide Cameroon to the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Simon Ngapandouetnbu is likely to start in goal, behind a back three of Samuel Kotto, Che Malone and Stephane Keller. Junior Tchamadeu should operate on the right, with Mahamadou Nagida expected to cover the left flank.

Arthur Avom, Ryan Fosso and Danny Namaso are the leading candidates for the midfield places. Carlos Baleba is unavailable through injury, while Zambo Anguissa has retired.

Bryan Mbeumo and Christian Kofane are expected to form the attacking partnership.

Probable Cameroon XI: Ngapandouetnbu; Che Malone, Kotto, Keller; Tchamadeu, Avom, Fosso, Namaso, Nagida; Mbeumo, Kofane.

Former Cameroon U20 and U23 international Sobze Henri Bayano, who previously played for Phitsanulok FC, expects a narrow home win.

“Cameroon start as favourites, but they will have to be very careful with this Comoros team, which caused them problems a few years ago,” he said in an interview with Africafoot.

The listed odds are 1.30 for a Cameroon win, 6.00 for a draw and 16.00 for a Comoros victory.