Cameroon stun Morocco on penalties to reach WAFCON final

Cameroon have reached the final of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after defeating hosts Morocco 3-1 on penalties following a goalless semi-final in Rabat on Wednesday night.

The Indomitable Lionesses held their nerve in the shootout at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium after neither side could find a breakthrough across 120 minutes.

Morocco were handed a late chance to settle the contest in extra time, but Fatima Tagnaout missed from the spot, allowing Cameroon to take the match to penalties.

Cameroon converted three of their four attempts through Marie Ngah, Rose Bella and Myriam Nyadjou, while Morocco scored only once through Hanane Aït El Haj.

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Kenza Chapelle, Meryem Atiq and Sakina Ouzraoui missed their penalties as Cameroon secured their place in a fourth WAFCON final.

The result also ends Morocco’s hopes of reaching the final for a third consecutive edition.

Both teams started cautiously, with neither willing to take unnecessary risks in a semi-final carrying a place in the final at stake.

Morocco, backed by the home crowd, looked to attack through the flanks and maintain possession, while Cameroon remained compact and disciplined.

Neither side created enough to break the deadlock before half-time as both defences remained in control.

Morocco increased the tempo after the restart, with coach Jorge Vilda making changes in search of an attacking breakthrough.

Ibtissam Jraidi and Nouhaila Badri were withdrawn in the second half, while Tagnaout was introduced as Morocco continued to search for a decisive goal.

Cameroon remained organised, however, and kept the hosts at bay as the match went into extra time.

Morocco came closest to winning the match when they were awarded a penalty in the 118th minute.

Tagnaout stepped up with a place in the final within reach, but she failed to convert the spot-kick.

The miss sent the semi-final into a penalty shootout after the score remained 0-0 at the end of extra time.

Morocco had previously won their two most recent WAFCON semi-finals on penalties, against Nigeria in 2022 and Ghana in 2024.

That record, however, counted for little on Wednesday.

Aït El Haj converted Morocco’s opening penalty before Chapelle missed their second attempt.

Ngah then scored for Cameroon, while Grace Mendoua missed the Indomitable Lionesses’ second kick.

Bella converted Cameroon’s third attempt, while Atiq failed for Morocco.

Nyadjou then scored Cameroon’s fourth penalty before Ouzraoui missed Morocco’s next effort to seal a 3-1 shootout victory.

The win ended Cameroon’s own difficult record in WAFCON penalty shootouts, as the Indomitable Lionesses had lost all three of their previous shootouts, including a semi-final defeat by Nigeria in 2018.

Cameroon had earlier eliminated defending champions Nigeria 1-0 in the quarter-finals and have now overcome the holders and tournament hosts in successive knockout matches.

Morocco’s defeat ends their bid to reach a third consecutive WAFCON final and win their first continental title on home soil.

Cameroon will now contest their fourth WAFCON final, one victory away from claiming the African title.

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