Indomitable Lions, Warriors to battle for Group J top spot

Cameroon will go head to head with Zimbabwe in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualification Group J match at the Stade Omnisport Ahmadou Ahidjo on Tuesday.

Kick-off is at 3pm CAT.

CURRENT FORM

The Indomitable Lions extended their unbeaten run to seven matches across all competitions when they drew 0-0 with Namibia away on 13 November having registered three draws and four victories.

Cameroon are occupying the top spot in Group J standings having already qualified for the Afcon finals and avoiding a defeat against Zimbabwe would see the Indomitable Lions finish atop the table.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe stretched their winless run to three matches across all competitions when they drew 1-1 with Kenya at home on 15 November having recorded two successive defeats and one draw.

The Warriors, who have also qualified for the finals, are placed second in the Group J standings - two points behind leaders, Cameroon and a win would see Zimbabwe also beat the Indomitable Lions to the top spot.

TEAM NEWS

Cameroon will be boosted by Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa's availability as the midfielder missed the game against Namibia due to his son's birth, but Carlos Baleba and Bryan Mbeumo are injury doubts.

Zimbabwe, on the other hand, will be without two players namely, Gerald Takwara who has a shoulder injury and Marshall Munetsi who has been released from camp early following the team's qualification for the finals.

WHAT WAS SAID?

Cameroon head coach Marc Brys

"We have five days to get ready. The first day will be for recovery, and then we'll spend the rest studying our opponents and working on our strategy," Brys said.

"Zimbabwe is a strong team; they play fast and are close to us in skill, so we need to focus on what they do well. We'll head straight home for training,

"And I think four to five days should be enough to get back to our usual starting line-up."

Zimbabwe head coach Michael Nees

“You need to take every game seriously because it counts on the Fifa Ranking and if you get a better Fifa Ranking, you get a better seeding in the next tournament," Nees said.

"These results have consequences. We haven’t lost a game so far, and we want to continue like that. But we must also look at other players…

"I will see how we can assemble the team to face Cameroon, and a few other players may also deserve a chance to play.”

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Cameroon and Zimbabwe have met 12 times across all competitions. The Indomitable Lions have won seven matches compared to the Warriors' three victories, while two games ended in a draw.

The last time the two teams met they drew 0-0 in the 2025 Afcon qualifier played in Kampala, Uganda on 10 September.