Cameroon have finally conquered Africa. The Indomitable Lionesses defeated tournament debutants Malawi 3-0 in Rabat on Sunday to win their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title, ending decades of near misses and three previous defeats in the final.
Marie Ngah was the star of the night, scoring twice in a dominant first-half display, while Naomi Ndjoah Eto added the other goal as Cameroon turned the final into a one-sided contest before the break.
The victory, played at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, marked a historic moment for Cameroonian women’s football. Cameroon had previously reached three WAFCON finals but lost each time to Nigeria. Their latest triumph finally removed the final obstacle between the Lionesses and their first continental crown.
Ngah leads Cameroon to historic victory
Cameroon took control of the final after 20 minutes when Ngah opened the scoring. The forward struck again in first-half stoppage time, leaving Malawi facing a three-goal deficit at the interval.
In between Ngah’s goals, Naomi Ndjoah Eto found the net to give Cameroon a commanding advantage.
The three goals effectively settled the contest before halftime. Malawi struggled to reproduce the attacking football that had carried them through their remarkable run to the final, while Cameroon controlled the game and protected their advantage after the break.
The result was particularly significant for Ngah, whose two-goal performance made her one of the defining figures of the tournament’s final.
Cameroon finally break their final curse
Cameroon’s journey to the title has been marked by repeated disappointment.
The Lionesses had previously appeared in three WAFCON finals without winning the trophy. Their first final came at the inaugural African women’s championship in 1991, when Nigeria defeated Cameroon 6-0 on aggregate.
Cameroon subsequently suffered further final defeats, including against Nigeria, which has dominated the competition for much of its history.
That made Sunday’s victory more than another continental title. It represented the culmination of years of attempts by Cameroon to challenge Nigeria’s dominance of African women’s football.
With the 3-0 victory, Cameroon became only the fourth nation to win the women’s continental championship, joining Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.
Malawi’s fairytale run ends in the final
For Malawi, reaching the final was itself a landmark achievement.
The Scorchers were appearing at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time and entered the tournament as one of the least-fancied teams. Their run to the final transformed them from debutants into one of the stories of the competition.
Malawi’s progress was particularly remarkable given their ranking. Reuters reported that the team entered the tournament ranked 153rd in the world and 32nd in Africa.
The team was also powered by sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga, two of Malawi’s most prominent attacking players. Cameroon, however, successfully contained the Chawingas in the final and prevented Malawi from producing another upset.
Despite the defeat, Malawi’s run to the final represents a major milestone for women’s football in the country.
A new chapter for African women’s football
The final also underlined the changing landscape of women’s football in Africa.
Nigeria remains the continent’s most successful team, but Cameroon and Malawi’s contrasting journeys showed the growing competitiveness of the women’s game.
Cameroon’s victory was built on experience after years of falling short, while Malawi reached the final on their first appearance in the competition.
Both finalists had already secured qualification for next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil, alongside the two losing semifinalists, Morocco and Algeria. Algeria went on to claim third place after beating Morocco on penalties.
For Cameroon, however, the focus is now on celebrating a title that has eluded them for more than three decades.
After three failed attempts, the Indomitable Lionesses finally have their African crown.
