By Darrion Abongwa
After both finishing 9th out of the 11 teams in pool A and B of the MTN Elite One Championship first phase, Yong Sports Academy of Bamenda and Eding Sport of Lekie will faced off this Friday in a playoff to determine who joins Yafoot, Dragon, Renaissance and Djiko FC of Bandjoun into the Elite Two next football Season.
Yosa ended the first round in pool B on 24 points after 20 matches played, winning six, drawing six and losing eight, scoring a total of 20 goals and conceding 21. Yosa ended the first phase two points behind AS Fortuna that ended eight.
For Eding Sports, theirs was not a clear path. First Avion FC and Renaissance were confirmed relegated and Djiko FC to play in the relegation playoff. But things soon turn for the worst for them, Avion appealed against a decision of the Transitional Technical Committee and was awarded three points. This completely changed the dynamics of the pool. Djiko was relegated instead and Eding hitherto safe, was dragged into the hot waters.
This will be the most important match of the season for either side. A win even by penalty shootout will mean ultimate survival for the winner and doom for the losers.
When both sides meet on Friday at the Douala Bonamoussadi 2000 capacity Stadium, it will be the 10th time both sides are meeting. The head to head record placed the Bamenda outfit ahead. Yosa has won three, draw four and lost two, scoring seven goals and conceding four, picking a total of 13 points as against eight for Eding.
The last time both teams met was on December 22, 2019. Yosa won 4-1 in Mbankomo but the return leg on April 20th was cancelled due to covid-19. In the last five meetings between the two sides, Yosa has won two and Eding two, drawing one.
In terms of trophies, Eding Sport has won the Elite Championship once, in 2017 and was runners up to Cotonsport last football season.
Ahead of the match, fans from Bamenda have been converging on Douala to rally their support for YOSA.