Cameroon took an early lead in a crunch Group D when beating Malawi 2-0 at home as rivals Ivory Coast were held goalless in Mozambique in Friday's African World Cup qualifiers.
A confident Vincent Aboubakar finish and Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui header gave the 1990 quarter-finalists a decisive 2-0 win over Malawi in Yaounde and good start to a group from which only one team will reach March's play-offs.
Seeking to extend their African record seven World Cup appearances, the Indomitable Lions clash with the Elephants in Abidjan on Monday in one of the ties of African qualifying.