Cameroon have finally ended years of heartbreak by being crowned Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions after brushing aside Malawi 3-0 in a one-sided final at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Sunday night.
The Indomitable Lionesses produced a devastating first-half performance to settle the contest before the break, with Marie Ngah Manga scoring twice and Naomi Eto adding another as Cameroon raced into a commanding 3-0 lead.
The victory gives Cameroon their first WAFCON title, after three previous appearances in the final ended in defeat to Nigeria in 2004, 2014 and 2016.
This time, however, the Lionesses were determined to rewrite their history.
Ngah Manga opened the scoring in the 20th minute before Eto doubled the advantage nine minutes later. Ngah Manga then struck again in stoppage time at the end of the first half to put Cameroon firmly in control.
Malawi, competing in their first-ever WAFCON final, struggled to respond after the interval despite the threat posed by star forwards Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga.
Cameroon had already announced themselves as serious title contenders earlier in the tournament when they eliminated defending champions Nigeria 1-0 in the quarter-finals. They then defeated hosts Morocco on penalties in the semi-finals after a goalless 120 minutes.
World Cup ticket to Brazil
The historic WAFCON triumph caps an even bigger achievement for Cameroon, who have also secured their place at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Cameroon qualified directly for the global tournament by reaching the WAFCON semi-finals. They were joined by Malawi, Morocco and Algeria as Africa’s four direct qualifiers for Brazil 2027.
For Malawi, Sunday’s defeat could not erase what has been a remarkable breakthrough tournament. The Scorchers shocked Africa by reaching the final on their WAFCON debut, while their run also secured their historic first qualification for the Women’s World Cup.
The final therefore represented more than a battle for continental supremacy. Both nations had already written new chapters in their football history by booking their places in Brazil.
But it was Cameroon who finished the story in perfect fashion.
After years of near misses, the Indomitable Lionesses have finally conquered Africa, and they will now head to Brazil as continental champions.
