Indomitable Lions keeper Idriss Carlos Kameni will lead the team for its World Cup qualifying campaign against DR Congo on Saturday, June 2.

The captain and two vice captains of Cameroon national team: Samuel Eto'o, Enoh Eyong and Nicolas Nkoulou are out of the squad for suspension and injuries.

Nicolas Nkoulou didn't feature in Coach Denis Lavagne's 26-man list for the Lion's three matches following his injury at the end of the season with his club side Marseille.

In the absence of the three, Kameni will wear the captaincy band probably for the Lions' three games for the World Cup and Nations Cup qualifiers this June.

The Malawian national football team suffered a major scare on Thursday when striker Atusaye Nyondo was picked up an ankle injury.

The SuperSport United striker was carried off the pitch by team official after injuring his ankle during his team’s morning training session two days before they take on Kenya in a 2014 World Cup qualifier.

Speaking after the session, Coach Kinnah Phiri criticized the poor surface at the venue, “This ground is not conducive to conduct proper training with its tall grass and uneven surface, we actually had our striker limp off the field after he tripped into one of the holes.”

Ivory Coast newly appointed coach Sabri Lamouchi has published his list of players called up for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying games against Tanzania and Morocco set for early next month.

The roster is composed mainly of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations squad that reached the final of the tournament, except for former Tottenham midfielder Didier Zokora, who was dropped due to injury.

The Ivorian football federation on Tuesday named Frenchman Jean-Marc Kuentz as assistant coach of the Elephants, who began training on Wednesday ahead of the weekend’s clash.

Senegal internationals Souleymane Diawara of Marseille and Mamadou Niang of Al-Sadd were dispossessed of cash and valuables worth more than €400,000 (R 4.3m) in France while attending the Cannes International Film Festival last week, French paper Nice-Matin said on Thursday.

The duo, who participated in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations held in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea early this year, were robbed in their villa at La Roquette-sur-Siagne and subsequently laid complaints to the gendarmerie of Mandelieu-La Napoule district where the incident took place.

The newspaper said the two players declared as stolen a number of branded wristwatches and jewelry worth €400,000 (R 4.3m) and €30,000 (R 318,000) in cash.

VfB Stuttgart midfielder of Beninese descent Daniel Didavi has declined an invitation from Benin coach Manuel Amoros to join the Squirrels for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The 22-year-old, who is currently on loan to FC Nuremberg in the Bundesliga, was born in Germany to a Beninese father and a German mother.

He has played for the German U18 and U21 national teams but is yet to be called up to the senior team and thus eligible to play for Benin.

However, he turned down persuasions to switch allegiance for the West African team, saying his focus is on the German national team.

French coach Hervé Renard has attempted to downplay enormous expectation in Zambia that the African champions can qualify for their first World Cup.

Renard's side won their inaugural Africa Cup of Nations crown in February when beating Ivory Coast in the final.

Fans now believe Zambia can overcome Group D rivals Ghana, Sudan and Lesotho as they chase a place at Brazil 2014.

"We were the best for one tournament but I'm really sure we are not the best team in Africa," Renard told BBC Sport.

New Ivory Coast manager Sabri Lamouchi has conceded he will have to overcome a legitimate wariness from the team's supporters at the start of his tenure.

The former France international was appointed in the role, after Francois Zahoui was sacked, despite having no experience as a senior coach.

"I understand the dissatisfaction of some Ivorians. They certainly have reason to doubt me," said Lamouchi.

"But there is always a starting point and I hope my first time will be good."

Lamouchi will very quickly get a chance to ease fears, given that his first match in charge comes only five days after he took the job.

Cameroon secured their first win of the 8-Nation International Tournament with a 2-0 victory over Kenya at the Athlone Stadium on Wednesday (30 May) night.

The match was all about pride, and the avoidance of finishing bottom of Group B, with neither side able to challenge for a place in the semi-finals after both losing their two opening matches.

Cameroon had the first chance of the game when Pierre Balliang fired in a powerful drive from the left hand side of the box, Kenyan keeper Joel Bataro only just able to get enough of a hand to be able to divert the ball away from goal.

Turkish side Bursaspor have officially told Ghana striker Prince Tagoe to look for a new club.

Tagoe failed to impress in his first season at the club he joined in August last year on a three-year deal.

Reports say he has been targeted by clubs in Qatar, Dubai and received offers from Chinese Clubs.

Tagoe managed a total of 11 matches and scored once.

He had a successful spell in the Gulf before moving to Europe in the summer of 2009.

Tagoe also played on loan at Serbian giants Partizan Belgrade in the 2010/2011 season where he won the league and Cup double.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has confirmed midfielder Raheem Lawal is out of Sunday’s World Cup qualifier against Namibia in Calabar.

Spain-based Lawal on Wednesday sorted out his work permit issues in Spain and is expected to head to Calabar on Friday.

"He has called me to confirm that he will be coming in on Saturday. I am sad at the situation but there is nothing I can do. He is ruled out of the Namibia game, but should be available for Malawi and Rwanda," Keshi confirmed to MTNFootball.com

Lawal made his long-awaited Eagles debut against Peru in last week’s friendly in Lima and has won praise from Keshi, who first scouted him during last year’s 2012 Olympic qualifiers in Morocco where he fired a hat-trick against Algeria.