By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses claimed their first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title Sunday August 16, dominating tournament debutants Malawi 3-0 behind a explosive three-goal performance in the first half in Morocco.
Striker Marie Ngah Manga opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a header before midfielder Naomi Eto doubled the advantage 10 minutes later with a crisp volley. Eto turned provider in first-half stoppage time, setting up Ngah Manga’s second goal to seal the victory before halftime.
Under head coach Valentine Nguele, Cameroon abandoned its traditional defensive posture in favor of an aggressive attacking system that overwhelmed Malawi early. Although Malawi adjusted after the break, Cameroon’s backline successfully contained star forwards Thabita Chawinga and Temwa Chawinga to preserve a clean sheet throughout the knockout stage.
The triumph establishes Cameroon as only the fourth nation to lift the trophy, joining 10-time champions Nigeria, two-time winners Equatorial Guinea and 2022 champions South Africa. Cameroon also joins Nigeria and South Africa as the third country to claim both the men’s and women’s continental titles.
The championship completes a remarkable turnaround for a squad that originally missed qualification before gaining entry through the tournament’s expansion to 16 teams. Cameroon navigated a difficult route to the final, defeating Ghana in group play, edging Nigeria 1-0 in the quarterfinals and prevailing 3-1 on penalties against host Morocco following a scoreless semifinal.
For veteran captain Gabrielle Aboudi Onguéné and her teammates, the victory erased memories of three previous final defeats in which the squad failed to score a single goal. While the loss ended Malawi’s campaign, the Southern African nation made history as the first debutant from its region to reach the final, finishing as the competition’s highest-scoring team.
