Cameroon vs Zimbabwe, African Nations Championship – Preview, Prediction

The 7th Total African Nations Championship commences on Saturday evening. Host country Cameroon takes on Zimbabwe to the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium on Saturday in the curtain-raiser of the competition.

The Warriors of Zimbabwe are making their fifth CHAN appearance, and they will be hoping to start their Group A campaign on the front foot at the Yaounde Omnisport Stadium.

Head coach Martin Ndtoungou Mpile has been reviewed for his second stint accountable for Cameroon, after directing the Indomitable Lions to the quarter-finals of the 2016 African Nations Championship in Rwanda.

Cameroon have never made it past the quarter-final and slammed out in the group stages in 2011 and 2016, yet Mpile and his team have been entrusted to go above and beyond and improve in the current year’s edition.

The Lions’ present form is, be that as it may, stressing for the fans, who viewed their country tumble to a disillusioning draw against Uganda, before enduring defeats to Niger and Zambia in a week ago’s pre-CHAN invitational competition.

Zimbabwe sealed their CHAN 2020 spot after impressive successes against Mauritius and Lesotho, scoring 10 goals and surrendering two in four qualifying games.

The Zimbabwe Football Association named 54-year-old Croatian Zdravko Logarusic as head coach of all senior national teams following his two-year stretch with Sudan.

The Warriors’ last arrangements for the competition were likewise managed an enormous blow as nine players and five coaching staff individuals tested positive for Covid.

The nonappearance of Prince Dube has left a void for Zimbabwe to fill, as the Azam FC forward put his attacking ability on display at the competition’s qualifying stage, where he packed away the highest goal-scorer award.

Logarusic’s men will intend to outperform their 2014 CHAN run, where they completed fourth after losing to Libya on penalties in the semi-finals.

Cameroon have called up Yannick Ndjeng and Jacques Zoua, and Mpile will depend on the AS Futuro couple to carry insight into the Lions’ attack.

Stade Renard man Alfred Meyong Etong was a champion performer for the Lions in a week ago’s amicable rivalry, and the 29-year-old is required to be given a beginning role on Saturday.

Then again, the Zimbabwe squad is doing combating to regain full fitness as nine of the 23 traveling players get back from self-isolation after getting the COVID-19 virus.

Prince Dube is ineligible to partake this year after he signed for Azam FC in the Tanzanian top flight, yet Bulawayo Chiefs’ forward Farawo Matare is relied upon to come in for the 29-year-old.

Cameroon vs Zimbabwe Prediction

Cameroon are one of the favorite teams to win this group in which they are part alongside Mali, Burkina Faso, and this Zimbabwe national team.

Cameroon have a positive record against this Zimbabwean team and it will be without shocks that they should win this game.

This Cameroon team is a long way from being the competitive team that they were in past years however they are as yet a stronger side than this Zimbabwean team and as such a success here is compulsory.

The matches between Cameroon and Zimbabwe when played on Cameroonian soil have brought about a huge advantage for the home team since in 5 meetings since 1980 they have figured out how to win 4 times and draw 1.

The Cameroon team are not in a decent moment and have just won 1 game out of the last 9 as hosts however this current evening’s adversary isn’t some bogeyman and Cameroon are obliged to begin with the correct foot in the competition.

Zimbabwe are coming from 2 successes in their last 10 away games which is certainly not a positive record also and in their last match away from home, they have recorded a misfortune by 3-1 in the visit to Algeria.

The competition is in the beginning phases, so a firmly challenged showdown is expected at the Yaounde Omnisport Stadium, nonetheless, the Lions of Cameroon should come out triumphant against a COVID-hit Zimbabwe side.