Ngah brace fires Cameroon to historic first WAFCON crown in victory over Malawi

Cameroon won the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the first time after a commanding 3-0 victory over Malawi in Sunday’s final at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.

Marie Ngah scored twice, either side of Naomi Ndjoah Eto’s goal, as the Indomitable Lionesses produced a devastating first-half display to finally end their long wait for continental glory.

Ngah opened the scoring in the 20th minute before Ndjoah Eto doubled the advantage 10 minutes later after being set up by Myriam Nyadjou, CAF reports.

Ngah then struck again three minutes into first-half stoppage time, this time from an assist by Ndjoah Eto, to effectively settle the contest before the interval.

The victory made Cameroon the fourth different nation to win the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, joining Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.

It also ended a painful sequence of three previous final defeats for the Indomitable Lionesses, who had lost to Nigeria in the deciding match in 2004, 2014 and 2016.

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The result brought disappointment for Malawi, but their run to the final remains historic.

Playing at the WAFCON for the first time, the Scorchers became the first Southern African debutants to reach the final and produced one of the tournament’s most entertaining campaigns.

They had beaten Algeria 3-1 in the semi-finals and entered the decider with the best attacking record in the competition.

However, Cameroon’s experience, defensive organisation and clinical finishing proved too much in Rabat.

For the Indomitable Lionesses, there would be no fourth final heartbreak.

Ten years after losing the 2016 final on home soil and more than two decades after their first appearance in the continental decider, Cameroon finally reached the summit of African women’s football.

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