Côte d'Ivoire v Cameroon, the in-laws rivalry with Group F lead at stake | OneFootball

Côte d'Ivoire face Cameroon in a rivalry that runs beyond football, with Group F leadership at stake in Marrakech on Sunday at 21:00.

According to L'Équipe, the fixture is often viewed as a meeting of in-laws between two linked nations. Karl Etta Eyong and Amad Diallo both scored in opening wins on matchday one.

Samuel Eto'o embodies those ties, married to an Ivorian and long central to this fixture. He missed a penalty after a 1-1 draw at the 2006 AFCON in Egypt, 12-11 on penalties, and he featured in Cameroon's 3-2 win in Abidjan in 2005 qualifying.

Gervinho calls it the one you cannot lose, and says the home defeat lingered for years. Achille Webo’s hat-trick spawned a phrase about Ivorians sleeping at 19:00, while Aurélien Chedjou sees friendly ties beneath a fierce Francophone rivalry.

Sébastien Bassong points to similarities between the teams, loud and talented, and jokes about a family link to Côte d'Ivoire. The banter is intense.

At AFCON 2022 in Cameroon, social media spats escalated matters, with Ivorian influencers accused of belittling Cameroon. In Douala, many backed Egypt in a last 16 tie that finished 0-0 before a 5-4 shootout against the Elephants, some even learned the Egyptian anthem.

Aurélien Bassong frames it as edging into geopolitics, central versus west Africa, driven by ego. Despite months of clashes, there were no repercussions in Côte d'Ivoire in 2024, and Didier Lefa recalls customs greeting a Cameroonian group as in-laws, with fast-track and extra service.

Source: L'Équipe