Team Profile: Coton Sport

15 July 2011

State of Team

Coton Sport of Garoua have just retained their league title after beating fellow Cameroonian side Unisport of Haut-Nkam 2-1 on the 11th July 2011. As they lift the MTN Elite one league title for the second successive time¸ the ‘Cotonculteurs’, as they are known, are now Cameroon’s most successful club with 11 league titles.

With this in mind they will enter into the final group stages of the CAF Champions league on a high and confident they can progress to the semifinal stage, the final and possibly lift the most coveted trophy in African Club football. 

Furthermore, the last time they were in the CAF Champions League was back in 2008 and in that edition of the competition they made it all the way to the final where they just lost out and finished as runner-up. They will look at this year’s tournament as an opportunity to rectify that mistake and that will inspire them to do well.

Strengths

Coton Sport FC has for the last few years have been specializing in developing talents from other West-African countries, especially Niger, Chad, the Central African Republic and Burkina Faso.

Their current team looks very strong and has a nice blend of talented, ambitious and more experienced players. Also, their performances in the early rounds of the competition have shown them to be hungry for success and that makes them very dangerous. 

Coton Sport certainly are the best team in Cameroon and they have quite a bit of experience in the CAF Champions League having appeared in the competition seven times (1998, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008 and the current completion). This will come in handy when times get tough and the team will look to their more seasoned campaigners.

Weaknesses

Despite Coton Sports’ seven appearances in the Champions League they have not done that well. On only two occasions they have managed to make it out of the first round of the competition which means they are relatively inexperienced at this stage of the tournament.

At times they are also vulnerable to conceding goals at the back, especially when they travel.

The Coach

Denis Lavagne is in his second tenure as coach of Coton Sport. The 47-year-old Frenchman was the first to coach a Cameroonian club. He has been at the club since May of 2009 and he has led the team to two consecutive league titles and is hoping to lead them to their first CAF Champions League title.

Key Players

Daouda Kassaly is first choice goalkeeper and arguably the best goalkeeper in the Cameroonian league. The towering number one is also the goalkeeper of the Niger national football team.  

Nack Balokog and Epassi Ewonde are two rocks in defence. Any team will find it difficult to penetrate their stubborn resistance and they could prove key to Coton Sports’ success.

André Ndame Ndame is a hard as nails defensive midfielder. He is the man who controls the midfield and if dictates the battle there his side normally wins. His performances of late have seen him called up to the Cameroon National team.

Nicolas Alnoudji has about twenty matches for the Cameroon national football team and is the most experienced member of the team. Alnoudji featured for several European clubs, including Caykur Rizespor(Turkey), US Créteil(France) and SC Olhanense(Portugal). 

Arnaud Monkam Nguekam is the creative spark in the Coton Sport team and has spent three years in Norway, playing for SK Brann and Løv-Ham Fotball.  His experience in European football will definitely come in handy.

Hilaire Momi is the star striker of the team. The goal poacher from the Central African Republic is one of the top goal scorers in the Cameroon Elite One league. He is deadly in front of goal if given the opportunity.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Kassaly Daouda, Kassoure Ekiang Moumine, Illiassou Mouloum

Defenders: Karim Lancina, Sebastien Ndzana, Nicaise Ozingoni, Amban Noe Achille Kwin, Parfait Palm, Louis Christian Ewonde, Amadou Nader, Ambroise Opongo, Moussa Souleymanou

Midfielders: Andre Ndame Ndame, Baba Ousmaila, Nicolas Alnoudji, Mfoutou Chardin Reginald Madida, Michel Balokog, Aime Maglorie Moifo, Yaya Ahmadou 

Strikers: Hilare Momi, Paul Valery Minane, Clevis Tambe Ashu , Idrissa Seydou, Joel Moise Babanda, Emmanuel Mbongo, Jacques Hamam

Click here for player profiles 

Fixtures

Raja Casablanca v Cotonsport Garoua (16 July 2011)
Cotonsport Garoua v Enyimba (30 July 2011)
Al Hilal v Cotonsport Garoua (14 August 2011)
Cotonsport Garoua v Al Hilal (28 August 2011)
Cotonsport Garoua v Raja Casablanca (10 September 2011)
Enyimba v Cotonsport Garoua (18 September 2011)