Cameroon crush Malawi 3-0 to lift maiden Women’s AFCON trophy
Cameroon finally conquered Africa’s women’s football summit, defeating debutants Malawi 3-0 in Rabat to claim their first WAFCON title.
Cameroon have been crowned Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions for the first time after defeating Malawi 3-0 in a one-sided final at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
The Indomitable Lionesses settled the contest with a devastating first-half performance, with Marie Ngah Manga scoring twice and Naomi Ndjoah Eto adding another.
The victory marks a remarkable turnaround for Cameroon, who had previously lost three WAFCON finals, all against record champions Nigeria.
Their latest success also makes them only the fourth nation to win the competition, joining Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.
Ngah Manga Leads Cameroon’s Charge
Cameroon took control after 20 minutes when Ngah Manga reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area before finishing from close range.
Eto doubled the advantage nine minutes later, leaving Malawi facing a steep challenge before the interval.
Ngah Manga then struck again in stoppage time, converting Eto’s pass to give Cameroon a commanding 3-0 lead at the break. Malawi, appearing at the tournament for the first time, could not find a route back into the contest after Cameroon’s ruthless opening 45 minutes.
Malawi’s Fairytale Run
Despite the disappointment of the final, Malawi leave Morocco with their reputation significantly enhanced.
The debutants defeated defending champions Nigeria during the group stage and progressed all the way to the final before meeting a Cameroon side determined to end years of near misses.
Both finalists have also secured places at the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, alongside semi-finalists Morocco and Algeria.
Cameroon’s victory completes a remarkable journey after they initially lost to Algeria in qualifying before gaining entry when CAF expanded the tournament from 12 to 16 teams.
