Cameroon initially had to present 4 clubs to CAF competitions as per the rule implemented by the Confederation African of Football in December 2017.
The nation lost one spot even before the competition could begin, due to an in-house trouble. Union Mouvements sportive (UMS of loum) left the competition after crashing out to Lobi Stars of Nigeria.
Cotonsport of Garoua got to the CAF champions league second round only to be booted out by Ismaily of Egypt, but they were consoled by with the availability of the secondary competition (CAF Confederation Cup).
New stars on their part have played two ties and managed to get through to the playoffs of the confederation cup.
These two clubs were in action on Sunday, 11 of January.
Cotonsport started one of the two leg ties at home for the first time in all CAF competitions this campaign. The men in green and white-stripes played Bobo Dioulaso and Ismaily of Egypt away from home in the preliminaries.
Fans them expected to have a difficult game, but at least were confident not to loose giving the fact that Cotonsport had made the military stadium a fortress before Sunday, winning two of two and scoring 5 in that time.
Cotonsport did leave up to expectation, and Asante shocked them by winning 3 goals to 2. It would be a difficult task to go to the Baba Yara Stadium at Kumasi and get a win, but Etta Bawak said: ” if they can come to our home and score three, it shows we can go and score four in Ghana”.
New stars were not bad in their travels after exciting away results in two previous rounds; winning Vitalo’ club 4-1 and taken a naked parity with Al Ahly Tripoli.
New stars of Douala faced Gor Mahia of Kenya and lost by 2-1. A late goal condemned the 2017 Cameroon cup winners to their very first away defeat in this year’s competition.
It is a conundrum for the football fans as Cotonsport have a horrendous away record ; loosing two, letting in 5 goals and scoring one. As star contrast, Limbe is not the best of hunting grounds for New Stars as they have shared the spoils in all 2 matches and have not registered any goal.
The two teams would be going opposite directions on Sunday the 20th.
New Stars and Cotonsport are still in it but New Stars has a greater chance of qualifying as a 1 nil win takes them through but a similar score will knock Cotonsport that most score 3 times if the margin is by goal to their favour to stay in it.
The suspension of center back, Orian Jores and Goalkeeper Kibyen Leonel could be a massive factor for New Stars who will also welcome back Aristide Medjo in the midfield just like Cotonsport who will get Midfield Maestro,Serge Seko again.
Giovanni Wannneh
