Cameroon were unexpectedly held to a draw by the underdog Eswatini in a surprising result as African qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup resumed on Wednesday. The match, which saw the Indomitable Lions struggle to break down their opponents, saw Bryan Mbeumo come closest to opening the scoring. The Brentford forward struck the woodwork with a curling shot from distance during the first half, narrowly missing the opportunity to give Cameroon the lead.
Despite being ranked 159th in the world—110 places below the more highly-rated Cameroonians—Eswatini proved resilient throughout the match. In the second half, goalkeeper Mlamuli Makhanya was forced into action, producing a crucial save to tip a powerful header from Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar over the crossbar.
While Cameroon remain unbeaten after five matches, the draw has left them vulnerable to losing their position at the top of Group D. They could be overtaken before their upcoming home fixture against Libya next Tuesday.
