PAD Finish Unbeaten as Litto and Cameroon Sports Bow Out
Monday, 27 April brought the group stage to its conclusion, and for Cameroon’s three clubs it delivered outcomes that ranged from the genuinely outstanding to the bittersweet.
Port Autonome de Douala completed something rather special. General Service Unit of Kenya stood between them and a perfect five-from-five record, and Beyegue’s men made short work of the challenge, winning 3-0 with sets of 25-14, 25-22 and 25-20. Five matches, five victories, Pool D leaders. For a club travelling from Douala to compete against the continent’s elite, it was a group stage performance to be genuinely proud of. The second round beckoned, and PAD would enter it as one of the most convincing sides the first phase had produced.
Cameroon Sports’ final group match against Sport-S of Uganda was the kind of game that will stay with players for a while. They pushed all the way to a deciding fifth set, winning the third 30-28 in an extraordinary passage of play that suggested at various moments that the match could go either way. But the Ugandan side held their nerve when it counted, taking the tie-break 15-10 and with it, the match 3-2. Cameroon Sports finished the group stage with one win from five matches. The young squad will return home with hard lessons learned and, one hopes, a determination to come back stronger.
Litto Team’s closing match against Nemostars of Uganda was played in the spirit of a club that had not quite managed to find its best volleyball at this tournament. The final score of 0-3, with sets of 21-13, 16-25 and 21-25, told a complicated story: a strong opening set that briefly raised hopes, followed by Uganda’s quality asserting itself across the next two. Wilsogue Sogue’s side will need to reflect carefully on what this continental experience has revealed, because the gap between competing at home and competing at this level remains significant, and bridging it requires more than good intentions.
Port Autonome de Douala, though, gave Cameroon every reason for optimism. They won every match they played. They outscored opponents across all four pools. And they did it with a consistency and composure that suggested a club with genuine continental ambitions, not just continental participation. Whatever comes next in Kigali, they have already made the journey worthwhile.
