On Sunday February 3rd, two League 1 sides played in Limbe to kickstart their own campaigns. The two are not the biggest or most historic club in the nation but if there was a house of fame, then, New Stars would certainly be ahead of Colombe; New stars won the 2016 Cameroon cup against UMS, while Colombe is yet to win a major title in her 33 years of existence. Coming into this game, New Stars lastly took 3 points in Limbe back in july 24, 2018 against AS Fortuna; nearly 6 months ago. New Stars have also found goals difficult to come by in Limbe.
Coach Gerald Mbimi gave the responsibility of the armband to experienced left back; Lane Lakem, and this was the the first game for a very long time without target-man Ngongang Figo.
Newstars brook the dead lock through striker Kemajou, as he was looking to make the New stars faithful forget about Figo Ngongang. Colombe took it over from there, and keep this name; Junior Lionel Bangda, former player of Talent D’Afrique and best player in the Center, Regional league last season. Junior scored a brace, and the flood gates opened as the defense of New Stars was in six’s and seven’s. Goal keeper Kibyen Patrick didn’t make issues easier with an unforced error that gifted Colombe a third goal.
Coach Mbimi denied any Limbe ‘Duck’ on his team, but had these harsh words for them; “This is an inexistent Newstars, not the one i know. I don’t recognize it.If they are hiding something, they should tell me. I took them from the Regional league in 2010; I would not retire now because it is the team of my younger brother”. The new captain; Lane Lakem expressed hope “It is a game of football..we didn’t take our Opponents seriously. We are just from playing 6 matches in the CAF confederations cup, and the season is just beginning,so we have seen our errors.
Club president Faustin Domkeu would certainly want his team to come back on track. As it stands, New Stars stand 8 out of 9 in group A.
Giovanni Wanneh
