By Awambeng Fuh
Journalist,kick442.com-Cameroon
Achille Webo could not resist the memories after Cameroon’s latest victory over Côte d’Ivoire this Saturday evening. Deportivo La Coruna forward Bil Nsongo scored just after the break to ensure David Pagou’s team conquered the Elephants on home soil again. While thousands of Cameroonians celebrated in Idenau, Debunscha, Maroua and Oku, Webo who masterminded a famous 3-2 win in Abidjan in 2005 took to X and wrote; “There are things that never change, come on Lions,”
Coming from Webo, the message carried more than just the excitement of another Cameroon victory. It brought back memories of one of the most iconic nights of his international career — and one of the most unforgettable Cameroon-Côte d’Ivoire encounters.
Webo was at the heart of Cameroon’s famous 3-2 victory in Abidjan in September 2005, when the Lions walked into the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny Stadium and stunned a star-studded Ivorian side. With Didier Drogba leading the hosts and World Cup qualification at stake, Cameroon needed a big performance. Webo delivered one of the greatest individual performances ever seen in the rivalry, scoring all three goals as the Lions repeatedly found a way past the Ivorians. His decisive third goal came late in the game, completing a memorable hat-trick and turning the young striker into an instant Cameroon hero.
That night became a defining moment in Webo’s international story. He went on to make 57 appearances for Cameroon and score 19 goals, while representing the country at three FIFA World Cups. But whenever Cameroon’s battles with Côte d’Ivoire are discussed, his name inevitably comes up. The image of Webo celebrating his third goal in Abidjan remains one of those memories that Cameroon supporters have carried for years. More than two decades later, the former striker was watching from afar as another generation of Lions created its own Abidjan moment.
Saturday’s victory was very different, but the feeling was familiar. Cameroon did not need three goals this time. They needed just one, and Bil Nsongo provided it shortly after the restart to give the Lions a precious 1-0 victory. It was a disciplined performance from Cameroon, who held on to their advantage and left Abidjan with another important win over the Elephants. For a team stepping into a new chapter, doing it on Ivorian soil made the result even more significant.
The victory also added another line to a remarkable piece of Cameroon-Ivory Coast history. Cameroon had previously won in Côte d’Ivoire in 1984, when Roger Milla and Jules Djonkep scored in a 2-0 victory during the Africa Cup of Nations. The Lions went on to win that tournament — their first AFCON title. Then came Webo’s unforgettable 3-2 triumph in 2005. Now, 21 years later, the Lions have returned to Abidjan and won again. Three Cameroon victories on Ivorian soil — 1984, 2005 and 2026.
Webo’s reaction therefore feels like much more than a former player celebrating a national-team result. He was once the man carrying Cameroon’s hopes in Abidjan; now he has watched the next generation produce another victory in the same city. The faces have changed, the years have passed and the circumstances are different, but the outcome has once again gone Cameroon’s way. Some things, as Webo reminded everyone, really do never change.
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