The second edition of the FIFA Series 2026 kicked off this Friday with a match between Cameroon and Australia at the Accor Stadium in Sydney. This stadium holds historical significance for the Indomitable Lions, as it was where Samuel Eto'o and his team won the Sydney Olympics in 2000. For this return, the national coach, David Pagou, opted for a young team to face a solid Australian side.
As a starter, Samuel Kotto, a player from Reims in French Ligue 2, was expected to solidify the three-man defense alongside Olivier Kamdem and Che Malone. The absence of Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui offered him the opportunity to establish himself as a pillar of the national team. However, the Indomitable Lions struggled against a better-prepared Australian team.
The match turned in the second half. Despite showing assurance and making some good interventions, Samuel Kotto was caught off guard in the 85th minute. Jordan Bos scored the only goal of the match, taking advantage of a moment of distraction from the Cameroonian defender to beat Devis Epassy.
Kotto, who usually plays in the French Ligue 2, had been in good form since the AFCON in Morocco. During the 90 minutes, he touched the ball 72 times with a passing accuracy of 87%, also making three important interventions and two successful tackles. His performance earned him a rating of 6.6, despite the defeat that marked his fifth match for Cameroon.
While Kotto's mistake was costly, his overall performance remained decent. The three-man defense system continues to raise questions. Australia, meanwhile, is preparing for its participation in the 2026 World Cup. Cameroon coach David Pagou also accused Australia of making more substitutions than allowed by FIFA regulations for this type of match. Pagou noted that Australia made eight changes compared to just three for Cameroon. Football Australia confirmed that both teams had agreed to allow 11 substitutions.
