Cameroon finally ended their long wait for continental glory on Sunday, sweeping aside debutants Malawi 3-0 in the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
Marie Ngah scored twice, on either side of Naomi Ndjoah Eto’s goal, as the Indomitable Lionesses produced a devastating first-half performance to claim their maiden WAFCON title and erase the pain of three previous final defeats.
The victory made Cameroon only the fourth nation to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, joining record champions Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa in the roll of honour.
For Cameroon, it was a triumph more than two decades in the making. The Indomitable Lionesses had previously reached the final three times — in 2004, 2014 and 2016 — only to lose to Nigeria on each occasion.
But there was to be no fourth heartbreak in Rabat. Cameroon settled the contest with ruthless efficiency before half-time, scoring three times in a breathtaking 28-minute spell.
Ngah opened the scoring in the 20th minute before Ndjoah Eto doubled the advantage 10 minutes later.
Then, in the third minute of first-half stoppage time, Ngah struck again to complete her brace and leave Malawi facing an almost impossible task.
The final had brought together two teams chasing history. Malawi were appearing at the WAFCON for the first time and had already produced one of the tournament’s great stories by reaching the final.
Cameroon, meanwhile, had endured years of near misses and were determined to finally convert their pedigree into silverware.
It was the Indomitable Lionesses who imposed themselves first. After an energetic opening, Ngah broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, giving Cameroon the advantage and forcing Malawi to abandon the cautious approach they might have preferred.
The Scorchers had been one of the tournament’s most dangerous attacking teams, scoring 12 goals before the final, with sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga at the heart of their remarkable campaign.
But against Cameroon, they found themselves chasing the game. Ten minutes after Ngah’s opener, Cameroon struck again. Myriam Nyadjou created the opportunity for Ndjoah Eto, who finished decisively in the 30th minute to make it 2-0.
The goal gave Cameroon complete control and placed enormous pressure on Malawi. The Scorchers attempted to respond immediately and made their first change in the 43rd minute, bringing on Tiasha Sani for Chikondi Gondwe.
But Cameroon were simply too clinical. With Malawi still searching for a way back, the Indomitable Lionesses delivered another blow deep into first-half stoppage time.
Ndjoah Eto, who had already scored the second goal, turned provider this time, setting up Ngah for her second of the night in the 45+3rd minute.
Cameroon went into the interval 3-0 ahead. The final had effectively been decided in 48 devastating minutes.
The three-goal deficit was too much for Malawi to overcome. The Scorchers had arrived in Rabat with the tournament’s best attacking record and the confidence of having beaten Algeria 3-1 in the semi-finals.
But Cameroon’s defence, which had conceded only twice before the final, proved almost impenetrable. Further changes after the interval could not revive Malawi’s hopes.
The Indomitable Lionesses controlled the second half, protected their advantage and frustrated the Chawinga sisters and the rest of the Malawi attack.
Coach Valentine Nguele also used his substitutions to manage the closing stages as Cameroon remained disciplined at the back. Remarkably, they completed the knockout phase without conceding a goal.
Cameroon’s triumph was made even more remarkable by the circumstances surrounding their participation in the tournament.
The Indomitable Lionesses had not originally qualified for the expanded 16-team competition but were subsequently included.
They seized the opportunity with both hands. Cameroon defeated Ghana in the group stage before producing one of the tournament’s biggest shocks by eliminating 10-time champions Nigeria 1-0 in the quarter-finals.
They then defeated hosts Morocco 3-1 on penalties following a goalless semi-final. Malawi stood between them and history in the final. And once again, Cameroon delivered.
Their victory completed a remarkable knockout campaign in which they conceded no goals. For captain Gabrielle Aboudi Onguéné and her teammates, the victory represented the culmination of years of disappointment. Cameroon had previously reached three WAFCON finals without scoring in any of them.
On Sunday, they not only scored in a final — they scored three times before half-time. Ngah emerged as the heroine with her brace, while Ndjoah Eto contributed a goal and an assist in one of the outstanding individual performances of the final.
For Onguéné and a generation of Cameroonian players who had endured repeated heartbreak, the final whistle brought an emotional release.
The Lionesses had finally climbed to the top. For Malawi, defeat could not erase the significance of their extraordinary debut.
The Scorchers became the first Southern African debutants to reach the WAFCON final and entertained throughout the tournament with their attacking football.
Their journey included a memorable semi-final victory over Algeria and a series of performances that announced Malawi as a growing force in African women’s football.
The Chawinga sisters, Temwa and Tabitha, were central to that story. But against Cameroon, the Scorchers met a team whose experience, defensive organisation and ruthless finishing proved decisive.
Their silver medal nevertheless represents the finest achievement in Malawi’s women’s football history.
For Cameroon, however, Sunday belonged entirely to the Indomitable Lionesses. Ten years after their 2016 final defeat on home soil, and more than two decades after their first appearance in the continental decider, Cameroon finally conquered Africa.
Three goals ended three final disappointments. A defence that refused to concede in the knockout rounds provided the foundation.
Ngah’s double supplied the finishing touch. And the Indomitable Lionesses finally have a trophy to show for years of coming so close.
Cameroon are no longer the bridesmaids of African women’s football. They are African champions at last.
