AFCON 2027 qualifiers: Cameroon v Comoros – Preview, talking points and prediction

Cameroon begin their Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying campaign when they host Comoros in Group G on Thursday, September 24.

The five-time AFCON winners go into the match as favourites and will be looking to use home advantage to make a strong start to their qualification campaign.

Cameroon are ranked 43rd in the world, while Comoros are 108th, with both sides entering the fixture under new management.

David Pagou has taken charge of Cameroon, while former Morocco coach Hubert Velud is the new head coach of Comoros.

Cameroon aiming for early advantage

Cameroon are expected to compete for top spot in Group G alongside Comoros, Congo and Namibia.

The Indomitable Lions will be hoping their experience at continental level can help them secure three points at the Stade Roumde Adija.

However, they will need to avoid complacency against a Comoros side that has shown its ability to compete with stronger opposition in recent years.

The match kicks off at 19:00 local time, with the scheduled start listed as 22:00 EAT.

Cameroon team news

New Cameroon coach Pagou has made several notable decisions with his first squad, leaving out experienced players including Amadou Onana, Vincent Aboubakar and Eric Choupo-Moting.

Carlos Baleba is also unavailable because of injury.

Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo is expected to play an important role for the hosts, while Bayer Leverkusen forward Christian Kofane is fit and set to lead the attack.

Comoros have also undergone changes under Velud, with experienced captain Youssouf Mchangama and Faiz Selemani among those left out of the squad.

Cameroon have unbeaten record against Comoros

Cameroon have the upper hand in their previous meetings with Comoros, winning two and drawing one of their three competitive encounters.

Their most recent meeting came in the last 16 of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, when Cameroon secured a 2-1 victory.

The two sides also met during the 2019 AFCON qualifying campaign, with Cameroon winning 3-0 before the teams drew 1-1 in the earlier meeting.

Cameroon’s recent form is WLLWW, while Comoros have recorded WLLLD.

Prediction

Cameroon have the stronger record on paper and will also have home advantage.

With a more experienced squad and a positive record against Comoros, the Indomitable Lions are expected to begin their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign with victory.

Prediction: Cameroon 2-0 Comoros