2022 World Cup: five memorable Cameroon - Ivory Coast

Ivorian Cyrille Domoraud and Cameroonian Rigobert Song during the legendary Ivory Coast - Cameroon (2-3), in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. Corbis via Getty Images - Christian Liewig - Corbis

Text by: David Kalfa Follow

4 min

The Cameroon and Ivory Coast teams meet on November 16 in Douala in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup (group D).

A potentially decisive match between Cameroonians and Ivorians but which is far from the first shock between the two nations.

Back on five memorable confrontations between Cameroonians and Ivorians.

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1970, the very first CAN of the Indomitable Lions

In Sudan, Cameroonians are playing their first African Cup of Nations.

For their big debut at CAN, they face Ivorians led by the irresistible Laurent Pokou.

The latter, top scorer in 1968 (6 goals) and future top scorer in this 1970 edition (8 goals), also signed a double in the first period.

But Emmanuel Koum answers him twice and Jean-Baptiste N'Doga once.

Result: The Indomitable Lions win 3-2.

They therefore create the sensation against an Ivorian selection which remained on a beautiful 3rd place.

A performance, however, without a future since the young Cameroonian team is finally eliminated in the first round, after a 2-1 setback against the Sudanese.

CAN 1992, a decisive semi-final for the Ivorians

In Senegal, the Ivorians are on their way to the first coronation in their history.

But, apart from a 3-0 success against Algeria, no meeting is easy for the Elephants.

And especially not their semi-final against the Cameroonians.

After 120 minutes of play, both teams were unable to score.

The penalty shootout turns into a disaster (3-1) for the Indomitable Lions after failures from Cyrille Makanaky, François Omam-Biyik and Joseph-Antoine Bell.

The Ivory Coast team will then win another much more uncertain (11-10) against Ghana, in the final of this CAN 1992.

CAN 2000, irresistible Lions and caged Elephants

This time, it is the Cameroonians who will go to the end of the tournament.

After a 1-1 draw against Ghana (co-host country), Samuel Eto'o and his gang manhandle Alain Gouaméné's Ivory Coast 3-0.

Patrick M'Boma is also a goalscorer.

Eliminated in the first round, the Ivorians were sent by Robert Gueï's regime to a recovery internship in a military camp.

The Lions won their third continental trophy after a legendary final against Nigeria (2-2 AP, 4-3 TAB).

2005, Cameroon wins but Côte d'Ivoire goes to the World Cup

On September 4, 2005, a host of stars were on the lawn of the Félix Houphouët-Boigny stadium, in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup. Among them, two geniuses: the Ivorian Didier Drogba and the Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o.

If the first gets a double, it is the second who has the last word 3-2 (thanks to a hat-trick from Achille Webo).

At least for now.

Indeed, a month later, Côte d'Ivoire finished first in the standings and thus qualified for the 2006 World Cup, thanks to a 3-1 success in Sudan and a 1-1 draw for Cameroon against l 'Egypt.

Pierre Womé missed the 2-1 penalty and qualifying at the last minute against the Egyptians.

A failure that will be worth insults and threats to the unfortunate defender ...

CAN 2015, a click for Côte d'Ivoire

In Equatorial Guinea, Cameroonians and Ivorians land full of doubts. The Indomitable Lions are playing their first finals since 2010. The Ivorians, them, have a series of frustrating results at the CAN. For this 2015 edition, the band in Hervé Renard also qualified with difficulty after a final 0-0 draw at home, against Cameroonians who had crushed them 4-1 two months earlier ... In the first round of CAN 2015, draws are linked in a group D also including Guinea and Mali. The services of the Elephants are sluggish. Fortunately for them, the light comes from Max-Alain Gradel whose strike as far as it is powerful enough to dismiss Cameroon, during their last meeting.This 1-0 success acts as a trigger for the Ivory Coast team which will be crowned a few days later, against Ghana. For Cameroonians, this elimination will also be useful: they will be champions of Africa two years later, in Gabon.

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