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Both Cameroon and Mozambique have already qualified to the Round of 16 at the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco 2025 ahead of their final Group F match in Agadir on New Year’s Eve.
The Grand Stade d’Agadir will be the canvas on which this beautiful story will be written when the two sides clash for glory. Cameroon seek to remain unbeaten and send a statement, while Mozambique have an eye on adding another page of history into their already storied AFCON campaign.
From 16 previous attempts, the Mambas won their first ever AFCON match when they beat Gabon 3-2 at the same venue last Sunday, and will make it two in a row if they manage to get over Cameroon.
They have also made more history by qualifying for the knockout stages for the first time ever, and will get into this duel with beaming confidence.
Mambas coach Chiquinho Conde has stated that his team will go all gloves off against The Indomitable Lions, as victory will see them finish second in the group.
While encouraged by the team’s attacking improvement against Gabon, the tactician will be keen to tighten his defensive line after conceding three goals in two matches, especially against a potent Cameroonian frontline.
Cameroon, meanwhile, also arrive in confident mood. Under David Pagou, the youthful Indomitable Lions have steadily grown into the tournament, producing one of their most assured displays in a 1–1 draw against defending champions Côte d’Ivoire in Marrakesh.
Having entered the competition under pressure, Pagou’s young squad, many of whom are experiencing Africa’s biggest football stage for the first time, have responded with maturity and resilience.
Victory over Gabon, followed by a disciplined performance against the holders, has strengthened belief within the camp and reinforced their credentials as genuine title contenders.
A win against a spirited and well-organized Mozambique side would further elevate Cameroon’s confidence. Crucially, three points could also see the Indomitable Lions finish top of Group F, should Côte d’Ivoire fail to secure maximum points against already eliminated Gabon.
With qualification assured but pride, momentum, and positioning still on the line, this Agadir showdown promises to be a fitting finale to Group F, a contest defined not by survival, but by ambition.
What they said:
David Pagou, Cameroon head coach:
“We have analyzed how they play and we know they are a really good team, one that wants to play the ball and do so as a block. They have a very good coach who really understands the competition very well and I know they will be a difficult opponent. But, we are not worried because we are sticking to our mission which is to come here and do our best. We will change nothing with our planning and ambitions even though we are already qualified.”
Danny Namaso, Cameroon forward:
We believe in our qualities, our game and the work we have put in and therefore we will continue showing our best in every game. In this competition there are no small teams and every game is very competitive. Mozambique is a good team with good players and a good mentality and the message we have been sharing with each other is that we have to go in and win every game.
Chiquinho Conde, Mozambique head coach:
“We are still trying to find the balance between the emotion we have and the preparation for the game because we waited for 16 games to win one match. We are all still happy, congratulating each other and enjoying the moment. I am happy but as a coach, we need to stop a little bit of the celebrations and think about this game. We will find the best strategy to beat Cameroon which is a really good team from what we have seen. I have an idea of how we can play and compete to win.”
Reinildo Mandava, Mozambique defender:
We will play against a tough team but we believe in our work and we believe in what we can achieve. We know it is not an easy game and to win, we need to work for every minute of the game. The spirit now with the players after our first win is high and we want to use that as motivation for this game.”
Match stat:
This will be the first meeting between the sides at the AFCON finals and the ninth overall encounter between the two nations. Cameroon have dominated the fixture historically, winning seven of the previous eight matches, with Mozambique recording a single victory.
Cameroon have won their last seven meetings with Mozambique.