Cameroon suffers narrow defeat to Australia in friendly

Cameroon’s hopes of a perfect start to the 2026 FIFA Series were dashed in dramatic fashion on Friday, 27 March, as the Indomitable Lions fell 1-0 to Australia at the Accor Stadium.

Under the guidance of coach David Pagou, Cameroon started brightly, showing flashes of their trademark attacking intent. The first half ended goalless, with both sides probing for openings but unable to convert. Cameroon’s defense looked solid, and goalkeeper Devis Epassy kept the Socceroos at bay with some crucial saves.

The tension peaked in the second half when a defensive lapse by Kamdem allowed Australia a penalty. Epassy rose to the occasion, diving low to his right to deny the spot-kick and keep Cameroon alive. The save drew applause from the traveling supporters and seemed to shift momentum in Cameroon’s favor.

However, the Lions’ resistance was broken in the 85th minute. Jordan Bos capitalized on a loose ball in the box, slotting it past Epassy to secure a late winner for the Socceroos. Cameroon’s desperate attempts to salvage a point in the dying minutes fell short.

“It’s a tough way to start, but we’ll regroup,” said David Pagou post-match. “The boys showed character, and we’ll take lessons from this as we prepare for our next game against China on 31 March.”

Cameroon will now look to bounce back quickly in what promises to be a challenging group stage, while Australia celebrates a hard-fought victory to kick off their tournament campaign.