Manchester United’s Cameroonian contingent were in action for their nation today in the CAF World Cup Qualifiers.
Andre Onana, currently on loan at Trabzonspor, started in goal for the Indomitable Lions, and Bryan Mbeumo was named on the bench for the crucial clash with Mauritius.
Big win secured
Cameroon went into the match second in their group and looking to close the gap on leaders Cape Verde.
They managed to do so, with Mbeumo getting on the scoresheet and Onana enjoying a quiet day at the office, keeping a clean sheet to ensure a 2-0 triumph.
With third-placed Libya and Cape Verde grinding out a 3-3 draw it was a great day for Cameroon, who are now two points off the top and three clear of third place with one game still to play.
There are nine groups in the qualifiers, and the four best runners-up meet in semi-finals and a final in a second round.
The win leaves Cameroon fourth in the second-place ranking table, so they have everything to do against Angola on Monday.
United men make key contributions
Onana had little to occupy him during a goalless first half, and the deadlock was broken on 57 minutes by Nicolas Moumie Ngameleu.
Mbeumo was brought on after 75 minutes, replacing United target Carlos Baleba as Cameroon rearranged themselves.
In the dying moments of the match United’s summer signing doubled the lead.
The 26-year-old connected sweetly with a cross from deep, thumping it against the Mauritius goalkeeper who stood firm then calmly slotting home the rebound.
This takes him to four goals and two assists in the nine qualifiers played so far.
Elsewhere, young United man James Scanlon played the full 90 minutes for Gibraltar as they lost 2-0 to New Caledonia in a friendly.
Feature image Julian Finney via Getty Images
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Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
