Cameroon were crowned champions of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) for the first time on Sunday after a commanding 3-0 victory over surprise finalists Malawi.
Forward Marie Ngah scored twice in the first half as the Indomitable Lionesses finally ended their long wait for continental glory after losing three previous finals.
The triumph came against a Malawi side that had captured hearts across the tournament with a remarkable run to the final on their WAFCON debut. Ranked 153rd in the world and 32nd in Africa before the competition, Malawi exceeded expectations to reach the showpiece match.
Cameroon took control from the opening stages and were rewarded in the 20th minute when Ngah reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area to open the scoring.
The Lionesses doubled their lead 10 minutes later through Naomi Eto, who finished clinically to put Malawi under increasing pressure.
Just when Malawi appeared set to reach halftime without further damage, Ngah struck again in stoppage time, converting a pass from Eto to make it 3-0 and effectively put the final beyond reach.
Despite Malawi’s spirited efforts after the break, Cameroon comfortably saw out the match to secure a historic victory.
Both finalists had already qualified for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, alongside fellow semi-finalists Morocco and Algeria. Algeria claimed third place on Saturday after winning the bronze-medal match on penalties.
Following the final whistle, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe joined the trophy presentation ceremony, with the victorious Cameroonian players celebrating their long-awaited continental success.
Cameroon become only the fourth nation to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations since the tournament was first held in 1998.
Nigeria remain the competition’s most successful side with a record 10 titles, while Equatorial Guinea have won twice and South Africa once.
