Cameroon recall Carlos Baleba for Namibia qualifiers as five players earn first call-ups

Cameroon manager David Pagou has recalled Carlos Baleba for the two CAN 2027 qualifying matches against Namibia, while Christian Kofane and Karl Etta Eyong miss out.

The Lions Indomptables face Namibia on 12 and 16 November in their third and fourth qualifying fixtures. Pagou has named an extended 28-man squad, continuing his effort to rebuild the team around a largely young group.

Baleba returns after missing the September international window through injury. The Manchester United midfielder is included alongside Bryan Mbeumo, who is also listed as a midfielder by Pagou.

Their inclusion strengthens a department that also features Arthur Avom, Danny Namaso, Harouna Djibrin and David Nyengue.

Kofane’s omission is injury-related. The Bayer Leverkusen forward has been unavailable for several weeks after suffering a left-thigh injury during the previous international break. His club confirmed that he had sustained a muscle problem while on duty with Cameroon.

The reason for Etta Eyong’s absence has not been made clear by Pagou. The Levante striker suffered a lesion to the rectus femoris muscle in his right thigh at the end of August and only recently returned to action.

He scored in stoppage time against Athletic Bilbao early last week to complete Levante’s 3-1 victory. Allowing him to rebuild his match fitness gradually after almost seven weeks out appears to be the most likely explanation for his non-selection, although Pagou has not publicly confirmed that.

With two of Cameroon’s most prominent young forwards unavailable, Dorinel Yondjo, Nsongo Tonfack, Geovanni Vianney Agbor Ndjee and Ivan Cedric Bikoue Embolo are the attacking options selected. Ivan Cedric Bikoue Embolo also replaced Etta Eyong during the previous camp.

Pagou has included five players for their first Cameroon call-up. They are Karl Wassom of Riga FC, Patrick Nkoa Amougou of Raal La Louviere, Geovanni Vianney of Copenhague, and domestic-based players Yvan Nana of Indomables and Eyango Priso of Colombe du Sud.

There is also a notable return for Enzo Ebosse, who has not been selected since Cameroon’s 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar. Four years after his last appearance in the national-team squad, the Udinese defender is back among the Lions Indomptables.

Olivier Kamdem Wabo and Salomon Nkoa Amougou have also been included among the defensive choices.

Andre Onana, Vincent Aboubakar and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting remain outside Pagou’s current plans as the rebuilding process continues. Cameroon’s previous camp produced encouraging results, including a 3-1 win against Comoros, a 1-1 draw in Congo and a 1-0 friendly victory over Cote d’Ivoire.

The next two matches against Namibia will provide the first test of whether that rebuilding process can be matched by results.