By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Ghana and Cameroon will renew one of West African women’s soccer’s most contested rivalries Sunday August 2 when the two opening-round winners clash in their second Group D match of the ongoing Women Africa Cup of Nations, WAFCON 2026 at Moulay Rachid Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time (5 p.m. GMT) in Casablanca, marking the 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations meeting between the powerhouse programs. Ghana holds the historical edge with five victories to Cameroon’s three, alongside one draw.
All nine previous WAFCON encounters between the two nations have produced goals, with six of the eight decided matches settled by a single goal.
Their long-standing history includes classic tournament moments, starting with Ghana’s 3-1 group-stage victory in 1998. Ghana dominated the early years, winning the first three meetings, including a 3-2 extra-time thriller in the 2002 semifinals courtesy of a 120th-minute golden goal by Adjoa Bayor. Cameroon earned its first victory against Ghana in the 2004 semifinals, securing a 1-0 win after extra time with a 95th-minute silver goal from Françoise Bella.
The sides last met at the tournament in 2018 during the group stage, playing to a 1-1 draw that eliminated host Ghana while propelling Cameroon into the knockout rounds. While both teams routinely advanced when paired together in early tournaments, Cameroon has held the upper hand recently, progressing ahead of Ghana in their last three shared group-stage appearances in 2010, 2014, and 2018.
Ghana enters Sunday’s fixture seeking to build momentum after opening its campaign with a dominant 2-0 victory over tournament debutant Cabo Verde. The win marked the eighth time Ghana has started a WAFCON campaign with a victory, though historical trends suggest a difficult second fixture. Ghana has failed to win its second group-stage match in its last five tournament appearances, recording three draws and two defeats since last winning its second game in 2008.
In their opening match against Cabo Verde, the Black Queens generated 26 total shots, six on target, led by Doris Boaduwaa. Boaduwaa attempted nine shots, landing four on target and scoring her first career WAFCON goal, while teammate Josephine Kyerewaa Bonsu anchored the side by winning 11 of 13 duels. The shutout was also Ghana’s first clean sheet in six group-stage matches.
Cameroon arrives with considerable momentum of its own following a 2-1 victory over Mali in its tournament opener. The Indomitable Lionesses have established a strong record following opening-match wins, having won their second fixture on the last three occasions they started the tournament with a victory. Cameroon is currently riding a 10-match unbeaten streak in the WAFCON group stage, with its last group-stage defeat coming at the hands of Ghana in 2014.
Cameroon’s opening victory was highlighted by an efficient performance from Marie Ngah Manga, who scored twice on three shots. Ngah became the first Cameroonian player to score multiple goals in a single WAFCON match since Thérèse Abena accomplished the feat in 2018. As a team, Cameroon maintained strong control against Mali, completing 288 passes at a 74 percent accuracy rate.
A victory for either nation on Sunday would secure six points, virtually guaranteeing a spot in the knockout stage and putting the winner in pole position to top Group D.
