Saturday September 5, might be the judgment day for the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. They know fully well that the key to South Africa 2010 is found in Gabon; hence victory is imperative. Fans are impatiently waiting for the match with mush glimmer of hope as never before. But what if the Lions lose in Gabon? What would the defeat signify to the lions as the nation as a whole? What would it mean to the Gabonese people who are presently plunged in an unprecedented political turmoil?
It is true most fans of the Indomitable Lions are anxiously waiting for victory this Saturday and the players themselves are conscious of the fact that a defeat would be synonymous to elimination from the world cup unless otherwise luck might come to play in a game that would shift from a simple linear equation to a binomial one. Defeat in Gabon would be more than a heavy lump to ram down the throat of most Cameroonians who might not imagine a second consecutive World cup without Cameroon. Also defeat for the Lions would mean degradation for one of biggest power houses of world soccer. Defeat for the lions would mean a false start for Paul Le Guen who is looked upon as the messiah to save the image, bring the much awaited revival within the ranks of the Indomitable Lions and marshal them to the World cup.
Defeat for the lions would mean a disappointment to the fans whom for the past years have taken football to be not only a culture but as a religion. It would be a bitter pill to swallow for most Cameroonians who don’t see Cameroon missing the first world cup ever organized on African soil. If the Lions disappoint their fans in Libreville, they would be indirectly blessing the Gabonese. It should not be forgotten that exactly 04 years ago the Lions help to indirectly promote peace in Cote d’Ivoire by failing to qualify for the 2006 world cup, giving the Elephants the chance to spark up to the world football scene. Can History still repeat itself?
A defeat for Cameroon would be synonymous to Gabon’s first participation at the world soccer jamboree, ease the present political tension in Gabon and bring in the much needed peace all at the expense of Cameroon. Can Cameroon fall prey on this setup once again as in 2005? Certainly the 90minutes in Libreville shall tell for their destiny lies in their own hands.
