Lions’ coach, Denis Lavagne (L) and his assistant, Ndtoungou Mpile (right)

REUTERS

Cameroon's sports minister has suspended French coach Denis Lavagne less than a year after he took the helm of the national team following an embarrassing defeat to lowly-ranked Cape Verde, Cameroon's state television said on Thursday.

Cameroon, four-times winners of the African Nations Cup, is in danger of missing out on a place at the next finals in South Africa after losing 2-0 to the tiny Atlantic archipelago nation in Praia on Saturday, in the first leg of the final round of qualifiers, reports Reuters.

Lavagne had been suspended with full pay until the end of his contract in October, the television said. Jean Paul Akono, who led Cameroon's squad to Olympic gold in Sydney 2000, has been appointed as interim coach, with Martin Ntoungou Mpile as assistant.