Cameroon secured their first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) crown on Sunday, beating debutants Malawi 3-0 in the final at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium after suffering defeat in each of their three previous appearances in the championship match.
Marie Ngah Manga scored twice, with Naomi Eto adding the other goal, as the Indomitable Lionesses built a decisive three-goal advantage before the interval. That margin remained intact until the final whistle.
Cameroon’s sustained attacking pressure eventually broke Malawi’s resistance when Ngah Manga finished from inside the penalty area. Eto soon added a second, calmly beating goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo, before Ngah Manga struck again in stoppage time at the end of the first half, finishing off a counter-attack to send Cameroon into the break 3-0 ahead.
Malawi’s prolific sisters, Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga, saw little of the ball as Cameroon controlled the midfield. The Scorchers were unable to mount a response after half-time and never found a route back into the final.
The triumph brought an end to Cameroon’s sequence of final disappointments, with each of their previous three WAFCON defeats coming against Nigeria. Goalkeeper Michaely Bihina, the hero of the semi-final penalty shootout victory over hosts Morocco after making four saves, had comparatively little to do in the final as Cameroon’s defence kept Malawi at bay.
Malawi, who began the tournament ranked 153rd in the world, made the final on their first appearance at the WAFCON. Their run included a group-stage elimination of holders Nigeria, followed by knockout victories against Ghana and Algeria.
Cameroon and Malawi had both already guaranteed their places at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, meaning the final result did not affect their qualification.
