Cameroon made history at the weekend by finally lifting their first-ever Wafcon trophy after a resounding 3-0 victory over Malawi.
The Indomitable Lionesses avenged three previous final defeats – in 2004, 2014 and 2016 – all of which came against Nigeria.
The fact that this year’s final came down to these two teams was perhaps somewhat surprising, with Malawi the lowest-ranked side in the whole tournament at 153 in the world, and Cameroon only making it to the final because the tournament was expanded from 12 to 16 teams.
How Cameroon Secured the Wafcon Title
Cameroon’s victory was wrapped up inside the first half with a brace of goals from Marie Ngah Manga, either side of a stunning volley from Naomi Eto.
Ngah Manga’s close-range header put Cameroon ahead in the 20th minute, and Naomi Eto doubled the lead with a world-class volley on the half-hour mark.
And the pair joined forces to secure Cameroon’s third in half-time stoppage, when Eto rounded Malawi goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo and set up Ngah Manga to score her fifth goal of the tournament.
Ngah Manga went close to a hat-trick early in the second half but fired wide. Malawi’s best chance came just after the hour, when Tabitha Chawinga saw her effort saved before her sister missed the rebound.
An Historic Wafcon Victory
Cameroon’s win makes them the fourth nation to lift the Wafcon title, joining Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and South Africa on the champions’ roster.
The trophy was presented by FIFA president Gianni Infantino alongside CAF president Patrice Motsepe, with Cameroon also picking up $2m (£1.48m) in prize money.
“We are very happy,” said Ngah Manga after the match. “We have been working so hard over all these years to get here. To finally be champions, we are very proud.”
Both Cameroon and Malawi have secured their places in the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, alongside fellow semi-finalists Morocco and Algeria.
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