Cameroon's handball teams are one match away from glory at the International Handball Federation (IHF) Challenge Trophy Zone IV 2026. On Friday, May 1st, at the Japoma gymnasium, the juniors (under 20s) secured a crucial victory against Congo, bringing them closer to the title. A few hours earlier, the cadets (under 18s) qualified for the final of their tournament by dominating Equatorial Guinea.
The cadets secured their place in the final by defeating Equatorial Guinea with a resounding score of 47-24. This Saturday, May 2nd, they will face Congo in the final, who eliminated the Central African Republic (30-26). Cameroonian captain Mardochée Tegam anticipates a hard-fought final: "The match will not be easy. Congo plays like us. That's why we need to be focused and very disciplined".
For their part, the Cameroonian juniors dominated Congo with a score of 36-20. A performance praised by their coach, Jackson Foku, who nevertheless remains cautious: "We will make the children understand that one match has passed and that we must concentrate on the next one. We will decipher our opponent to quickly set up a game strategy to quickly counter them".
Despite his defeat, Congolese captain Justin Marcelo Mbani Mpika remains hopeful: "We are not giving up. We have a derby against Chad. We will play and it will pass. Nothing is lost. Anything is possible. We can win and be propelled by the goal average which is favorable to us. We are still here and we believe in it".
This Saturday, the schedule is as follows: the U18 final starts at 11 a.m. local time. At 5 p.m., Cameroon's U20s face the Central African Republic for their last match of the tournament. At the top of the single group with 6 points, a victory would confirm their leading position.
The two Cameroonian teams are therefore ideally placed to win the two places up for grabs during this IHF Challenge Trophy 2026. This Saturday's matches promise to be decisive for the outcome of the competition.
