Cameroon…(0)3
Gift 6th (OG), N'koudou 25th, Avom 28th
Sihlangu…(0)0
MBABANE – Cameroon delivered a crushing blow to Sihlangu's World Cup aspirations with a dominant 3-0 victory in Yaoundé, officially eliminating Eswatini from the 2026 FIFA World Cup race.
The defeat, Sihlangu's fifth in seven games, leaves them at the bottom of Group D with a mere two points.
The match began in the worst possible way for the visitors. Just six minutes in, an unfortunate own goal from a Sihlangu defender Gift Gamedze saw the ball bullet past goalkeeper Khanyakwezwe Shabalala following a misjudged clearance. The home side capitalised on the early momentum, with Georges-Kévin Nkoudou doubling the lead in the 25th minute. Three minutes later, Avom Nnana sealed the result by the half-hour mark, with Manchester United Bryan Mbeumo providing the assist for the third goal.
Despite a few moments of possession, Sihlangu struggled to pose any significant threat to the Indomitable Lions' defence, often looking outmatched and outgunned. Coach Zdravko Logarusic's side managed to tighten up in the second half, making defensive adjustments that prevented any further goals, but the damage was already irreparable.
With the win, Cameroon move to 15 points, one point behind group leaders Cape Verde. The island nation secured their own 2-0 victory against Mauritius, while Libya, Sihlangu's next opponents, narrowly defeated Angola 1-0. This result means Eswatini not only failed to top their group but have also been eliminated from contention for one of the four best runner-up spots that would have led to a play-off for a place in the tournament.
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