Home-Based Lions: Who Woos Pagou?

As the 30 home-based Lions return to their respective local championship clubs after a five-day training camp in Yaounde yesterday, March 10, 2026, their minds remain on a delicate balance. They are well aware of the saying that many are called but few are chosen. To finalize his selection of local players who could effectively join the ranks of the senior national team, Head Coach of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, David Pagou, organized two evaluation matches yesterday at the Yaounde Military Stadium. The objective was to observe the players in real match situations. As the games progressed, the stadium gradually filled with supporters who thronged the venue to savour the encounters. The group of home-based players was divided into two teams, each facing Elite One clubs. One side played against AS Fortuna, while the other took on Canon Sportif of Yaounde. The first game against AS Fortuna ended in a 0-0 draw and was relatively slow in intensity. Possibly due to their eagerness to showcase their abilities, several players committed careless errors during play, which ultimately slowed the tempo of the match. The second game, however, was a completely different affair. Played at a much higher intensity, it ended in a 1-0 victory for the Lions. Konrad Nfanseu of Panthère Sportive of Ndé scored the lone goal in the opening minutes. One of the finalists for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, Nfanseu once again proved that he is a player to watch closely. Several other players also distinguished themselves. Nko Ghangle Rattensi of Victoria United of Limbe played the entire match and remained energetic throughout, although he occasionally lacked precision in the final pass. Jules Armand Kooh and his Dynamo teammate Arrey Jephter also delivered impressive performances. Kooh and Arrey each have four goals in the ongoing Elite One championship. To gain a clearer assessment, Coach Pagou made several substitutions,...