League One: YOSA keeps continental hope alive

With several huddles either man made or natural this season, YOSA as the team is popularly known has kept the ambition made public at the start of the season by the club’s President Yong Jacques A.  “We have spent a lot of resources to recruit a coach like Ndoumbe Bosso who is to work on our dream of going continental this season.”  Yong Said. 

Despite their elimination from the cup of Cameroon by Canon of Yaounde 2-0 in Bafoussam at the 32nd finals, YOSA has kept a firm grip of the third position for over four days of play. With unprecedented pressure from Union of Douala who currently are ranked fourth three points behind YOSA, Ndoumbe Bosso and his boys have had to work extra hard to keep their place. 

The team’s success this far has been linked to team spirit, sufficient motivation for the players from management and the growing presence of spectators who accompany the team several kilometers from the Bamenda city center.

The New revelations of the Club 

The team has also provided a veritable platform for two of the region’s sons to stage their football knowhow. While Kongnyuy Jude and Kilah Gilbert who have remained great play makers for the team since its creation and ascension to Elite One, Nkwenti Festus and Ngong Lionel Bong are the new revelations for this season. 

Son of Nkwen and wellknown by the nickname Tshabalala Nkwenti Festus has become a name one every lip in Bamenda. Playing about ten matches this season, Tshabalala has gotten to the back of the net five times with several goals assistance. Not for the trip he made  to Europe at the start of the second round of the league, many in Bamenda believe Nkwenti Festus would have been amongst the highest goal scorers in the country this season.  Away from the goals, Nkwenti is also credited for boasting stadium attendance noting that since YOSA starting playing at the mile six training center in Njenefor Nkwen, many Nkwen people including the Paramount Ruler of Nkwen now attend matches more regularly. Wearing jersey number 28, Nkwenti Festus is an attacker who gives tough times to defenders mindul of his speed. 

Ngong Lionel bong hails from Boyo division generally referred to as Kom. The Graduate of the University of Buea spots Jersey number three and that has earned him the nickname “small three.” He is a left back not imposing like many in the function. He has deceitful small skin yet confident and courageous. He takes initiatives that only well grounded footballers particularly defenders will. Losing a ball is not part of Ngong’s plan. He has become the man every man wants to see and every Kom particularly is proud of. We are told many travel from Boyo to Bamenda these days just to see Ngong play. 

What next?

Sunday September 4, 2016 Bamenda was thrilled by an uncommon football spectacle at this level as YOSA wrestled away the three available points of the day from long time rivals Bamboutos of Mbouda with a 1-0 win in front of a man crowd counting in thousands. With a day to go, YOSA needs a point to clinch a second CAF cup participation ticket. Any participation will follow their 2014 experience after they won the 2013 Cup of Cameroon. Though many options remain including finishing second should CotonSport of Garoua be beaten and they win, YOSA’s Ndoumbe Bossa says he is going to face Canon in Yaounde during the last day with unequaled tenacity. Should the team finish third, it will be a new record since their ascension to the Elite league in 2009.