Preview: Cameroon vs. Namibia - prediction, team news, lineups

The home side currently lead the way in Group C, having been the only team to secure a win in the opening round of matches as their visitors had to make do with a point.

Match preview

Cameroon battled hard to see off the threat of Burundi in their opening qualifying encounter at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, which ended 1-0 on June 9.

Rigobert Song's men opened the scoring right on the half-hour mark through Karl Toko Ekambi, and that was enough to get the job done in Dar es Salaam.

Since then, the Indomitable Lions boast just one victory in seven outings, although that was a memorable 1-0 win against Brazil in their final group-stage match at the World Cup.

Lying in store next is a first-ever encounter against an opposing outfit who are currently 80 places below in the latest FIFA rankings of all national teams.

One day shy of a year since their last defeat on home turf, Friday's hosts will be keen to come away with all three points and take one step closer to booking their place at Africa's grandest football contest.

Namibia played out a share of spoils against Burundi to kick off their AFCON qualifying journey following a 1-1 draw at the FNB Stadium on June 4.

Collin Benjamin's men edged ahead in the 10th minute courtesy of Peter Shalulile's strike but Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana managed to even matters two minutes from the end of normal time.

Consequently, the Brave Warriors sit third in Group C, two points adrift of Cameroon and level on points with Burundi having played one game less.

In the first of two consecutive clashes against Friday's opponents four days apart, the away side will be keen to pick up a morale-boosting result here.

Cameroon Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying form:

W

Cameroon form (all competitions):

D

L

D

W

W

L

Namibia Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying form:

D

Namibia form (all competitions):

D

W

W

L

Team News

Peter Shalulile has been in sensational goalscoring form of late, netting eight times in his last six games at club level, and he is one to keep an eye on.

Shalulile is also joint-top in Namibia's all-time scoring charts and one more goal would see him outrightly become his country's leading goalscorer in history.

Cameroon forward Vincent Aboubakar will be aiming to come up with the goods once again having been directly involved in three of his side's last four goals.

Off the back of a fallout with Rigobert Song at the World Cup, Andre Onana has been excluded from the squad totally despite his recent heroics with Inter Milan.

This should see Devis Epassy maintain his place between the sticks for what would be only an eighth international appearance for the 30-year-old.

Cameroon possible starting lineup:

Epassy; Nkoulou, Fai, Tolo, Castelletto; Anguissa, Kunde, Ngamaleu, Mbeumo; Aboubakar, Choupo-Moting

Namibia possible starting lineup:

Kazapua; Haoseb, Gebhardt, Hanamub, Hambira; Iimbondi, Fredericks, Papama; Hotto, Shalulile, Kambindu

We say: Cameroon 2-0 Namibia

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