Preview: Continental giants, Ivory Coast and Cameroon, battle for egos in Group F

Ivory Coast and five-time winners Cameroon meet in a pivotal clash where the victor will secure an immediate spot in the AFCON knockout rounds.

Defending champions Ivory Coast face off against five-time winners Cameroon this Sunday in a high-stakes encounter that could determine the leader of Group F.

Both African heavyweights entered the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with narrow 1-0 victories in their opening fixtures.

With three points already secured, a win for either side at the Marrakech Stadium would officially confirm their progression to the tournament’s knockout stages.

Ivory Coast, led by Emerse Fae, arrives with a disciplined, possession-based style that mirrored their successful 2023 campaign.

Manchester United forward Amad Diallo provided the decisive goal in their opener against Mozambique, and he is expected to lead the attack again.

The “Elephants” boast an impressive defensive record, having conceded only once in their last six competitive matches, and remain unbeaten in their last five meetings with the Indomitable Lions.

Cameroon overcame significant off-field turbulence to defeat Gabon in their first match, thanks to an early strike from Levante’s Karl Etta Eyong.

Under head coach David Pagou, the team has adopted a compact, resilient structure anchored by Bryan Mbeumo and Carlos Baleba.

Despite the absence of veteran figures like Vincent Aboubakar and the continued omission of goalkeeper Andre Onana, the squad demonstrated a clinical edge that underlines their enduring tournament pedigree.

Tactically, the match is expected to be a battle of experience versus youthful reorganization.

Ivory Coast will rely on the midfield stability of Franck Kessie and Ibrahim Sangare to dictate the tempo, while Cameroon aims to exploit the pace of Mbeumo on the counter-attack.

Both managers have reported fully fit squads, allowing for maximum tactical flexibility in what many experts consider the most significant group-stage match of the competition so far.