Cameroon saw off Central African Republic 3:0 in the African Championship on Tuesday evening, extending their own unbeaten run while adding to the hosts' woes. The visitors had beaten DR Congo 3:0 on the previous day, and Central African Republic had themselves fallen 0:3 to Rwanda in their last outing. A familiar pattern emerged.
By then you could see what this meant for the table. Cameroon remain top after three wins from three, sitting on nine points with a goal difference that keeps them clear. Central African Republic, meanwhile, find themselves bottom of the standings with three defeats and nothing to show for it.
The hosts have now lost every game they've played this campaign, and the gap at the bottom is growing. Cameroon's defensive solidity has been the story so far — three clean sheets in three matches is not something you manage by accident. They've kept knocking on doors and finding the net, while their opponents have struggled to create anything meaningful.
Central African Republic's recent form offers little comfort. Three straight defeats, three goals scored and nine conceded. They'll need to switch off at the back quickly if they want to make life awkward for the teams above them. The old head settled them down in training, but that doesn't always translate to the pitch.
Cameroon's perfect start puts them in a strong position going forward. They've shown they can control games and finish chances, which is what separates good teams from the rest. Central African Republic have a lot of work to do if they want to climb out of the bottom spot.