As Cameroon prepare to face South Africa in a high-stakes Round of 16 clash at the Africa Cup of Nations, the midfielder Samuel Kotto’s words revealed the spirit driving the Indomitable Lions.
“A lot of work and preparation is going on in the team,” Samuel Kotto said. “It is a great honour to represent our country. Being here is the result of hard work and the support of my teammates. We are like a family.”
That sense of unity will be put to the test on Sunday night at Al Medina Stadium in Rabat, where Cameroon meet South Africa at 20h00 local time, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.
Despite their long histories on the continental stage, the two sides have crossed paths only once at AFCON, a 3–0 win for hosts South Africa on opening day in 1996, a result that launched Bafana Bafana to their only continental title.
Meetings since then have been rare and closely fought. Across all competitions, the teams have faced each other nine times, with South Africa holding a slight edge, three wins to Cameroon’s one, alongside five draws.
Cameroon’s only victory came in a 1992 friendly, and they have not beaten South Africa in the seven matches since.
Yet knockout football has little patience for history. Cameroon head coach David Pagou knows the challenge ahead, describing South Africa as the most cohesive side at the tournament, a team shaped by continuity and collective understanding.
“We want our players to stay focused and express their qualities,” Pagou said. “South Africa are a very strong team that we know well. It will be a difficult match, but it is already a source of pride to be here.”
There is an added layer of intrigue on the South African bench. Head coach Hugo Broos, who led Cameroon to AFCON glory in 2017, now stands in opposition, plotting their exit.
His assistant, Helman Mkhalele, was part of the South African side that defeated Cameroon in that memorable 1996 opener, linking past and present in a fixture rich with subtext.
For Cameroon, this tournament represents another step in a rebuilding process, a team still taking shape but moving forward with belief.
On South Africa’s side, it is about pushing beyond recent progress and testing how far this group can go.
With the last three meetings between the sides ending in draws, Sunday’s contest is likely to be decided by fine margins once again.
