•Dump Senegal out of AFCON

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon have fired a serious warning to Nigeria for a place at next year’s World    Cup  after   they  upstaged AFCON favourites Senegal to reach the last-four in Gabon.

What was crucial was not just the result they achieved on Saturday, but the manner they went about their business.

World Cup qualifying group leaders, the Super Eagles will now welcome the Indomitable Lions to Uyo in August with the reverse fixture four days later in Cameroon as the qualifiers for Russia 2018 head to the business end.

These two matches will most certainly determine the team to win the ticket from a section aptly described as ‘Group of Death’.

Without several of their top stars like Liverpool defender Joel Matip and Allan Nyom from West Bromwich Albion for the AFCON in Gabon, Cameroon have shown their indomitable spirit despite being written off by bookmakers as outsiders in the African Cup of Nations.

“Cameroon are mentally and physically very strong,” praised former Ghana and Bayern Munich star Samuel Kuffour after the Indomitable Lions dumped Senegal 5-4 on penalties on Saturday night in Franceville.

Their chances now of reaching the championship game in Gabon when they square up with Ghana can no longer be dismissed.

Like Cameroon have shown over the years, this younger version of the Indomitable Lions are very organised in defence, working hard for each other to ensure they do not concede goals.

21-year-old goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa has risen to the occasion after recent doubts, while Ambroise Onyango from the Major League Soccer (MLS) has improved his ratings with five-star displays as a left fullback who loves to bomb down and join the attack.

This new Cameroon have also retained the bruising style the country have been known for.

Against an equally robust Senegalese side, they gave away 40 fouls and had three players booked, meaning they are ready to put their bodies on the line literally as their more illustrious compatriots have demonstrated for many years now.

Coach Hugo Broos has clearly showed that he will line up the players who will deliver the results and not the big stars.