Cameroon, Kenya renew rivalry at African tourney

In Yaounde, Cameroon

The tension is palpable here in Yaounde as Cameroonians await with bated breath a fourth consecutive continental title when the CAVB African Nations Championship serves off on Wednesday at the Palais polyvalent des sports (Paposy) Arena in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Known for their fierce football team, the Indomitable Lions, Cameroon are equally crazy about volleyball. The streets of Yaounde have been lined up with posters advertising this tournament as the nation looks to stamp its authority as the volleyball queens of Africa.

At stake is the African title and invaluable ranking points that will decide who gets the sole slot reserved for Africa at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in line with the universality principle which demands that every continent be represented at the Summer Games.

Kenya are currently the top ranked country in Africa followed closely by Cameroon.

Malkia Strikers’ participation in the FIVB Volleyball Challenger Cup last month didn’t yield the expected results as they bowed out at the first hurdle and couldn’t accumulate more ranking points.

Therefore, Cameroon have sensed an opportunity to qualify by winning the continental competition and surpass Kenya in the FIVB rankings.

So high are the stakes that Kenya’s assistant coach Paul Bitok’s attempt to camouflage and spy on Cameroon (during a friendly match against Morocco on Sunday night) came a cropper after one of the team’s officials was tipped by hotel security that Bitok was on his way there.

“I thought I had succeeded in sneaking but it seems someone from our hotel informed them that I was heading to the stadium. When I arrived, I couldn’t even go past the main gate since I found them expecting me,” said Bitok amid a chuckle.

“I even told one of their officials that we organise a friendly match between ourselves so that we can know exactly what to expect in the tournament,” added Bitok, half-jokingly.

It is befitting that Bitok, who led Kenya to a 3-2 win over Cameroon in the African qualifiers for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, is still in the Malkia Strikers technical bench currently headed by Brazilian coach Luizomar de Moura.

Luizomar has a perfect record in this fixture having masterminded Kenya’s 3-0 win over Cameroon at the FIVB World Championship in the Netherlands last year. While conceding that this is a different ball-game, Luizomar is optimistic that his charges will get the job done in Yaounde.

“We don’t have a lot of information about the opponents and competition format. We need to wait for the draws to be done but we are focusing more on preparations to make our team ready for any opponent,” said Luizomar, who is looking to guide Kenya to a fourth appearance at the Olympics.

But Cameroonians, from all walks of life, are overly excited about the prospect of the Lionesses qualifying for only their second Olympic Games.

Maxwell Mbacham, a Sports and Physical Education teacher, insists no team including Kenya, can stand in Cameroon’s way.

“The atmosphere is already boiling up. Cameroon is a sporting nation and any time our national team is playing we expect victory. We are the current champions and the ladies are going to do everything to defend the title,” said Mbacham.

Another fan, Pierre Ngameni, opined that Cameroon have a golden opportunity to prove to Kenya who are the queens of Africa.

“For a long time, Kenya had been the dominant force in African volleyball but Cameroon ladies have come up so well. They will be playing at home and for sure we expect them to win,” said Ngameni, a car dealer.

As part of the wind of change sweeping through Cameroonian volleyball, new Fecavolley (Federation Camerounaise de Volleyball) President Bello Bourdane has appointed 66-year-old Peter Nonnenbroich as new head coach of the women’s national team for this assignment.

The German, who won the 2011 African Games with Cameroon men’s team, has recalled outside hitter Faouzia Abdoulkarim, setter Henriette Koulla and middle blocker Stephanie Fotso.

The experienced trio are expected to bolster the Lionesses who are still reeling from the early retirement of influential duo of Laetitita Moma and Christelle Nana.

Coach Jean Rene Akono, who had delivered Cameroon's three consecutive African titles, has been shown the door and it remains to be seen whether Nonnenbroich will secure the Paris 2024 Olympic Games ticket.

In two week’s time, the verdict will be out. Cameroonians have their fingers crossed, while Kenyans back home are brimming with confidence that Malkia Strikers will return with a record-extending 10th title. Can the games begin!