When Cameroon face Mali on Wednesday at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON, it will revive one of the tournament’s most enduring rivalries.
Marking the sixth time the two sides meet in WAFCON history, the fixture carries extra weight after both teams were granted a second chance at glory following CAF’s expansion of the tournament from 12 to 16 teams.
For Mali’s Lady Eagles, this campaign is all redemption. After an explosive start in qualifiers – thrashing Gabon 10-1 on aggregate and edging Cabo Verde in the first leg- Mali suffered a heartbreaking 4-2 defeat in Bamako, bowing out 4-3 on aggregate.
However, the tournament expansion offered them a lifeline
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Head coach Birama Konate believes his side is ready to capitalise on the opportunity. “We bring with us lessons from the last edition, and we believe in this group of players,” Konate said ahead of the clash. For team captain and military officer Fatoumata Karaentao, the clash is deeply personal: “To wear the national colours and sing the national anthem is not only emotional but it is fulfilling… we shall give everything on the pitch against Cameroon.”
Mali face a daunting task. They are yet to defeat Cameroon in WAFCON history, drawing once and losing four times across five previous encounters in 2004, 2006, 2008 and twice in 2018.
Cameroon, meanwhile, arrive leaning on their rich tournament pedigree.
Having featured in 13 editions and reached three finals, head coach Dimitri Lipoff made no secret of his team’s stature: “What is a football tournament in Africa without Cameroon? It’s like saying that you have a World Cup without Spain!… These countries are football royalty.”
Leading the charge for the Indomitable Lionesses is 37-year-old veteran Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene, who is appearing in a record eight WAFCONs.
Onguene, who made her debut in 2008, remains focused on the task at hand. “Against Mali, we face a familiar opponent, and our objective is to register a positive result on Wednesday,” she noted.
Historically, Cameroon hold the upper hand, but with goals scored by both teams in four of their five past meetings, fans can expect another high-stakes, action-packed continental showdown.
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