Cameroon forward Karl Etta Eyong ruled out of AFCON 2027 qualifiers with muscle injury

Cameroon international Karl Etta Eyong has been ruled out of the Indomitable Lions’ upcoming training camp after suffering a muscle injury while on duty with Spanish club Levante.

The striker picked up the injury last Friday during a training session with his club, raising concerns over his availability for Cameroon’s upcoming fixtures.

As revealed by Levante, the enterprising attacker has succumbed to an anterior muscle to his right leg. Despite the club not disclosing the extent of injury, Cameroon confirms the forward is expected to spend between six and eight weeks on the sidelines.

The injury comes as a major setback for Eyong, who had been included in Cameroon’s squad by head coach David Pagou for the upcoming international assignments.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers were expected to provide another opportunity for the Levante striker to play an important role for the Indomitable Lions. However, his latest injury means he will now miss Cameroon’s training camp and their opening qualifying fixtures.

Cameroon are scheduled to face Comoros on September 24 before taking on Congo on September 29, with both matches forming part of the first two matchdays of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.

Eyong is also expected to miss Cameroon’s international friendly against Ivory Coast on October 3 in Abidjan, further extending the list of matches he will be unavailable for during his recovery period.

His absence will be a blow to Pagou, who had selected the forward as part of his plans for the upcoming international window.

To compensate for the late withdrawal, the Cameroon coach has moved quickly to bring in Ivan Cédric Bikoue Embolo, who was initially placed on the reserve list.

The Alanyaspor striker will now join the Indomitable Lions squad and could be handed an opportunity to stake his claim for a more prominent role in the national team.

For Eyong, the immediate priority will be to recover fully from the injury and return to action without complications. If his rehabilitation progresses as expected, the 21-year-old will be hoping to make his comeback before the end of the year and resume his club and international commitments.