Cameroon have finally claimed the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title after defeating Malawi 3-0 in Sunday’s final, ending years of disappointment on the continental stage.
The Indomitable Lionesses settled the contest with a commanding first-half display, with Marie Ngah scoring twice and Naomi Ndjoah Eto adding another goal at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium.
Cameroon took control in the 20th minute when Ngah opened the scoring, giving Malawi an early indication of the challenge they faced.
The pressure continued, and the Cameroonians doubled their advantage 10 minutes later. Ndjoah Eto found the back of the net after being set up by Myriam Nyadjou to put Cameroon firmly in control.
Malawi struggled to contain Cameroon’s attacking play and conceded again shortly before half-time.
Ngah completed her brace three minutes into first-half stoppage time, converting an opportunity created by Ndjoah Eto to send the Indomitable Lionesses into the break with a 3-0 lead.
The commanding advantage left Malawi with a mountain to climb after the interval, and Cameroon comfortably protected their lead to secure a historic victory.
The triumph ends Cameroon’s long wait for the continental title after three previous appearances in the WAFCON final ended in defeat.
Nigeria denied the Indomitable Lionesses in the 2004, 2014 and 2016 finals, with the latter defeat coming on home soil.
Ten years after that disappointment, Cameroon have finally reached the summit of African women’s football.
For Malawi, the result brought an end to an impressive debut WAFCON campaign. Although the Scorchers could not complete their remarkable run with the trophy, reaching the final represented a significant achievement.
Cameroon’s historic triumph also places them among an exclusive group of nations to have won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, joining Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.
