World Cup 2026: coach Luc Eymael breaks down the African playoffs | OneFootball

This match promises to be highly unpredictable. Cameroon’s coach, Belgian Marc Brys, is under heavy criticism, and there has been tension with Samuel Eto’o from the start. Despite this, with my former Lupopo goalkeeper Simon Omossola in the Cameroonian squad, the players are highly motivated to secure a spot at the upcoming World Cup. They certainly aren’t treating this as an easy fixture.On the DR Congo side, all players will be available. The squad boasts great cohesion and enjoys solid backing from both the federation and the government. Their coach, Sébastien Desabre—whom I’ve known personally for many years—is pragmatic and always prioritizes results over style. The team is very well-organized, even if their football isn’t always the most attacking. Ultimately, this clash looks perfectly balanced, 50/50, unless DR Congo scores early, which could shift the players’ mentality.

Nigeria appears very well-prepared and is the favorite to advance to the intercontinental playoffs. Their goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, who played throughout the last AFCON, is a real asset. New coach Eric Chelle is well-liked by the players and brings big-match experience, as he showed with Mali at the last AFCON. The squad features a host of players capable of making the difference—not just Osimhen.Gabon are the underdogs. In my view, the odds are 70% for Nigeria and 30% for Gabon.

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