Esperance Guider, Batafogo Buea win places in division one (24.10.2003)
Martin Etonge
Although there is still a day to go in the current national competition to promote division two clubs to division one, Esperance Guider and Botafogo AFC Buea have already won two of the four tickets available.
The remaining two places will be taken by either Aigle Dschang, KSA Douala or Ngaoundere University FC who are playing in group B based in Garoua.
Esperance 2-1 win over Sahel Maroua on Wednesday helped group A in Douala to produce its champions. The win enabled Esperance clinch leadership position with 9 points from three games. And though Botafogo were on stand by, their fate was settled by that result and Union Abong Mbang 2-1 defeat of Etoile Esazok in the second game.
Botafogo count 7 points and like Esperance are beyond reach of third placed team, Union Abong Mbang with only 3 points. Consequently, the last game between Esperance and
Botafogo has been rendered academy. Just like that between Sahel, with 2 points and Union.
Esperance are returning to division one only after a year, while Botafogo are making their first appearance in Cameroon’s elite football league. And for the first time Buea will host two division one sides, Mount Cameroon and Botafogo.
Meantime, in group B, Ngaoundere University and KSA Douala have greater chances over Aigle to take the last two tickets into division one, though Aigle are leading with 7 points.
Aigle have no game, while in the last day of play the university students and KSA will be up against the weakest teams of the group, Asme Ebolowa (3 points) and Milano Kumbo (zero point), respectively.
Each need only a draw. With that Ngaoundere University will come up to 8 points, while KSA will have 7 points, just like Aigle. But KSA have the advantage of having beaten Aigle.
