Elite Two: Newbies Sandwiched Between Big Guns
By Ngome Michael
2023 National Interpool Champions, Isle of Hope Sports Academy and runner-up, Bafmeng United will have their resolve tested at its highest as they prepare to face Eding Sport, Dragon, Unisport and others in the new second tier campaign.
The newly qualified into the elite two discovered their fate after today’s draws conducted at the FECAFOOT headquarters in Yaoundè.
The championship will see 15clubs shared in two groups with bottom and top playoffs to determine ascension into elite one and relegation to inferior leagues.
Group a contains, eight teams while B host seven. The first three clubs from both pools will compete to produce the two promoted into elite one. While bottom 9 from share spoils in quest to evade relegation.
Élite One and Cameroon Cup winners, Eding Sport of the Lekie will their sight fixed on returning to the elite one when they race with the lights AS FAP, Dragon of Yaoundè, Leopard, Foncha Street and Unisport du Haut-Nkam in Group A.
The pool which houses Bafmeng United and ISOHSA appears tough on paper not just because of the presence of Eding or Dragon, but also last season’s contestants in Unisport and AS FAP.
FAP averaged 10 wins from 24 matches, 30points in a 4th place finish scoring 31goals. The team will be hoping to clinch promotion which they missed out on by 6points. Unisport on the other hand progressed steadily but lost grip midway through, registering more defeats, 10 then wins, 9 and ended up in 7th with 32points.
Aigle of Mungo were seperated from Dynamo by a point and will be facing familiar foes in Rangers, Racing Tonnerre alongside demoted YAFOOT, Djiko FC and Renaissance. Should the Mungo replicate last season’s form of 11wins and 6draws, the playoffs can likely not elude them.
Rangers Vs Yafoot, Dragon Vs Foncha Street will set the elite two season rolling on October 11 2023 while a rematch of Interpool finals marks Day-1 with ISOHSA and set to clash again.