Cameroon maintained their flawless start to the African nations’ U20 volleyball championship with a hard-fought 3-0 victory over Rwanda, keeping the Young Lions firmly in control of Pool B.
The Indomitable Lions proved their mettle in Kigali, seeing off a spirited Rwandan challenge 25-17, 25-23, 29-27 in what turned out to be their sternest test yet of the tournament. After cruising past Kenya in their opener, Robert Samou’s side had to dig deep against opponents who refused to lie down.
Nervy Start Gives Way to Dominant Display
Cameroon found themselves locked at 10-10 in the opening set before captain Ganna stepped up with a pair of stunning aces that completely shifted the momentum.
Those crucial serves sparked something special in the Young Lions, who suddenly clicked into the lead with a series of thunderous spikes that left Rwanda scrambling. Despite Rwandan’s calling of three timeouts in a desperate bid to halt Cameroon’s charge, nothing could derail what had become a one-way train to victory in the first set, wrapped up 25-17 after 21 minutes.
Rwanda Push Back But Lions Hold Firm
The second set proved equally compelling, with Rwanda matching Cameroon blow for blow over 22 gripping minutes. Yet when the pressure mounted, it Cameroon who kept their cool. Spiker Serna was particularly impressive, varying his attacking patterns beautifully to keep the Rwandan defence guessing and help secure a 25-23 triumph.
Rwanda’s finest moment came in the third set, where they threatened to extend the match by taking a 20-18 lead. For a brief moment, it looked like they might finally claim a set against Cameroon. The tension reached fever pitch as both sides traded points to reach 24-24, setting up a brief heart-breaking tie-break
But when it mattered most, Cameroon’s class shone through. Bessong delivered when his team needed him, showing remarkable composure as the compact Cameroonian block held firm to edge the tie-break 29-27.
Coach Delighted with Fighting Spirit
Speaking after the victory, Cameroon coach Robert Samou was clearly satisfied with his team’s resilience: “I’m very happy. I can tell you that this is a victory that really meant a lot to us for the rest of the competition. And for the hunt for first place. We had to win today to reassure ourselves. We did, but it wasn’t easy. The most important thing was the goal of winning this match, and we won three sets to zero. I can say congratulations to these kids who gave everything they had in their stomachs, their muscles, and their brains.
Player Bessong echoed his coach’s satisfaction: “I feel good for our victory today because we came here with an expectation, with an objective to get to the finals. So when we win matches like this, it boosts our morale and keeps us going.”
Pool B Takes Shape
Elsewhere in Pool B, Kenya kept their hopes alive with a 3-1 victory over Morocco, ensuring the group remains wide open heading into the final round of fixtures.
With six points from two matches, Cameroon sit pretty at the top of the pool, but they’ll need to stay focused when they face Morocco on Wednesday. The Young Lions require just two sets from that encounter to guarantee top spot and book their place in the knockout stages as group winners.
Current Pool B Standings:
- Cameroon – 6 points
- Kenya – 3 points
- Morocco – 2 points
- Rwanda – 1 point
