Cameroon finally ended their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final curse after edging Malawi 3-0 to lift the title at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat on Sunday. Marie Ngah scored twice, with Naomi Ndjoah Eto adding the other as the Indomitable Lionesses produced a devastating first-half display to secure their maiden continental crown.
Cameroon made the brighter start and took the lead in the 20th minute when Ngah found the breakthrough, immediately putting Malawi under pressure. The Scorchers, who had impressed throughout their debut WAFCON campaign with their attacking football, struggled to respond as Cameroon’s organisation and efficiency took control of the final. Ten minutes after the opener, Cameroon doubled their advantage. Myriam Nyadjou created the opportunity for Ndjoah Eto, who finished clinically to make it 2-0 in the 30th minute.
Malawi attempted to change the momentum before the break, introducing Tiasha Sani for Chikondi Gondwe in the 43rd minute, but Cameroon remained firmly in command.The Indomitable Lionesses then delivered the decisive blow deep into first-half stoppage time. Eto turned provider this time, setting up Ngah to score in the third minute of stoppage time and complete her brace. The goal sent Cameroon into the interval with a commanding 3-0 lead and left Malawi needing an extraordinary comeback.The Scorchers had entered the final as the tournament’s leading scorers with 12 goals, with sisters Temwa and Tabitha Chawinga playing central roles in their historic run. However, they found Cameroon’s defence extremely difficult to penetrate.
Cameroon had conceded only twice before the final and maintained that defensive discipline after the interval. Malawi made further changes in an attempt to revive the contest, but the Indomitable Lionesses controlled proceedings and comfortably protected their three-goal advantage.
The victory marked a historic moment for Cameroon, which had suffered three previous defeats in the WAFCON final, all against Nigeria in 2004, 2014 and 2016. It also made Cameroon only the fourth nation to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, joining Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa. Their path to the title was particularly impressive. After defeating Ghana in the group stage, Cameroon eliminated 10-time champions Nigeria with a 1-0 quarter-final victory before overcoming hosts Morocco 3-1 on penalties following a goalless semi-final.
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The historic triumph also comes with a significant financial reward. Cameroon will pocket $2 million ( Ksh 258,520,000 at current rates) for winning the tournament. Runners-up Malawi will receive $1 million, about Ksh129 million, while third-place finishers Algeria will take home $750,000, approximately Ksh97 million. For Malawi, the defeat brought a disappointing end to an otherwise historic campaign. Playing at the WAFCON for the first time, the Scorchers became the first Southern African debutants to reach the final after beating Algeria 3-1 in the semi-finals.