Equatorial Guinea vs Cameroon

Following divergent outcomes in their latest matches, Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon are set to clash at Marrakech Stadium on Monday.

Nzalang Nacional are coming off a 2-1 loss to Gambia at the same venue last Friday, whereas the Indomitable Lions celebrated a victory against Uganda in their recent outing.

In the Gambia match, Equatorial Guinea fell behind with two goals conceded before halftime, and despite Jesus Mansogo’s goal just before the break, it served only as a consolation. This defeat extended Nzalang Nacional’s struggles, with Juan Micha’s squad now winless in their last two games, including a 1-1 draw in March’s World Cup qualifiers.

Their sole victory in seven matches across all competitions was a 2-0 win against Group H’s last-placed Sao Tome and Principe, with three losses and three draws marking the rest of their campaign. This poor run has left Equatorial Guinea languishing in fourth in their qualifying group, nine points behind leaders Tunisia with only four games remaining, effectively dashing hopes of automatic qualification.

The gap to second place, which offers a shot at the inter-continental playoffs, stands at five points, putting immense pressure on Micha’s team to produce near-perfect results in their remaining qualifiers. This friendly presents a vital opportunity for Equatorial Guinea to regain confidence. Historically, they’ve met Cameroon three times, with each side securing one win and a 1-1 draw in a 2011 friendly.

On the other hand, Cameroon enter the match buoyed by a strong 2025, remaining unbeaten in their last three games. After a 2-1 defeat to Central African Republic in the African Nations Championship preliminaries, Marc Brys’s team rebounded with a 1-1 draw against Eswatini and a convincing 3-1 win over Libya in March’s World Cup qualifiers.

This resurgence has positioned the five-time Africa Cup of Nations winners second in Group D, just one point behind Cape Verde, as the qualifying race heats up ahead of their September and October fixtures. Cameroon’s dominant 3-0 win over Uganda on Friday has them aiming for a third consecutive victory, hoping to maintain momentum for the critical upcoming qualifiers.