Lions Roar in Tunis: Cameroon Beat Algeria to Reach African Final and Secure Poland 2027 Ticket

Cameroon is in the final of the Men’s Africa Nations Volleyball Championship and is qualified for the 2027 World Championship in Poland. On Wednesday, September 23, the Indomitable Lions rallied past Algeria in a closely fought and hotly contested match that lasted 1h55min.

The match was played at El Menzah Sports Palace. Cameroon won the match in four sets, with scores of 25:22, 25:16, 20:25, and 25:23. The Indomitable Lions started strong and claimed the advantage in the first set, which they held until the end. They secured the first set after 28 minutes of play.

Both teams had roughly the same number of successful attacks, but Cameroon showed greater strength in blocking and serving, recording 6 aces to Algeria’s 3. In the second set, Cameroon coach Patrice Ndaki saw his team put together a stunning performance that saw them attack the Algerian defense with greater precision. The Lions sent 14 aces across the table, and the score soon followed. The set was over after 25 minutes. The two teams played a 3-3 tie in the third set, with the Algerian team showing incredible resilience.

Algeria, which had upset the defending champions Egypt with a 3-2 victory in the quarterfinals, reduced tally in the third set.

The fourth set proved to be the longest and tightest of the match, lasting 33 minutes. The two teams exchanged blows until the very end, with Cameroon eventually prevailing 25-23. Elie Badawe Djakode, with 13 points, was the top scorer for Cameroon. The forward recorded 11 attack points and one point from the service. Stéphane Mbaihilamen also scored 10 points.

Voukeng, the captain, was the most accurate scorer for Cameroon, recording five of his nine points from blocks. His display was even more impressive, as he scored almost 1.5 times more blocks than his Algerian counterpart. Indeed, Cameroon recorded ten blocks, compared to only four by Algeria. The Lions also registered 18 aces to Algeria’s six, with 40 kills to the opponents’ 31.

Fecavolley president Bello Bourdanne, who was present in the stands to see the match, was pleased with the result. Cameroon will now face host Tunisia in the final. The Tunisian team defeated Morocco in the semifinals with a 3-1 victory (25:17, 20:25, 25:16, 25:12). Both teams are guaranteed a place at the 2027 World Championship, but the winner of the final will also win the continental title and qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Algeria will face Morocco in the third-place match, with the winner earning the right to go to Poland for the 2027 World Championship.

The Africa Nations Volleyball Championship will run through Saturday, September 26.