Cameroon coach Rigobert Song is under pressure to save his job when he brings his Indomitable Lions to Johannesburg for Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Namibia.
The match is Namibia’s home game, but is being played at the Orlando Stadium (live on SuperSport) because of a lack of facilities in Namibia, and follows the surprise 1-1 draw that the Brave Warriors pulled off in Yaoundé on Friday.
The result was an embarrassment for Cameroon, who are ranked 80 places higher than Namibia in the latest Fifa rankings, and firm favourites to qualify from group C for the Africa Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast next year.
It was the first game for them since beating Brazil at the World Cup in Qatar but still failing to qualify for the second stage of the tournament.
In Qatar, Song was involved in a bust-up with star goalkeeper Andre Onana who left the camp and has not been picked for the doubleheader against Namibia.
After Friday’s 1-1 draw in Yaounde, Song was questioned about his position and then defended by his midfield general André-Frank Zambo Anguissa.
"I'll tell you the truth, that's the kind of question I don't like at all,” he told reporters who had been asking the coach whether he should be fired.
“It seems like when Cameroon lose, it doesn't concern you. We are all Cameroonians, why shoot each other?” said the Napoli player.
In the meantime, Cameroon will have to do without central defender Christopher Wooh, who needed stitches in his upper lip after a blow on Friday. He did not travel with the squad to Johannesburg on Sunday.
The Indomitable Lions had already lost Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Faï Collins and Karl Toko Ekambi to injury before their last game.