The Cameroon versus Mali fixture is one of the most familiar matchups at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with the Wednesday, July 29 tie marking a sixth time that the two teams are facing each other in tournament history.
Both teams come into the continental competition courtesy of CAF’s expansion of the tournament from 12 to 16 teams using FIFA rankings as the basis for their inclusion.
A unique second chance opportunity to compete at this level and one that the Eagles and Indomitable Lionesses are not taking for granted – they have since received it with both hands.
Lady Eagles in search of redemption
Mali’s qualification campaign started off on a high note with an emphatic 10-1 aggregate win over Gabon in the first round before edging Cabo Verde 1-0 in Praia. The tables turned in Bamako when the island nation went into the halftime break with a comfortable 3-0 lead.
Forward Oumou Kone found the back of the net to give hope to the home side but Eveline Pereira’s goal sealed the much-deserved victory even though the former added another. With a 4-2 victory in the Malian captain and a 4-3 win on aggregate, Cabo Verde secured their spot.
But that disappointment turned into pure joy when Mali were told that the tournament had been expanded to 16 teams and that the Lady Eagles were one of four teams included.
“We have an opportunity to show what we can do on the pitch. We bring with us lessons from the last edition and we believe in this group of players. We shall fight hard to represent our country well even though we know that Cameroon is a tough team,” Birama Konaté explains.
Malian captain Fatoumata Karentao emphasizes that representing her nation is always the greatest honour. “I am in the Malian army back home so for me to wear the national colours and sing the national anthem is not only emotional but it is fulfilling so we shall give everything on the pitch against Cameroon on Wednesday.”
Mali is yet to register a win over Cameroon in WAFCON history despite meeting five times prior in the group stages in 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2018 as well as contesting the third-place play-off in 2018.
Cameroon look to tournament pedigree
“What is a football tournament in Africa without Cameroon? It’s like saying that you have a World Cup without Spain! I say this with a lot of humility and respect to all the other countries. But these countries are football royalty. Imagine an AFCON now without Morocco? It would not be the same. We need the best teams at these tournaments,” Dimitri Lipoff states categorically.
Cameroon have competed in every WAFCON edition since the tournament’s inception in 1998 except the last edition last year. A total of 13 appearances; reaching three finals in 2004, 2014 and 2016 losing to Nigeria on all occassions. The Indomitable Lionesses have won bronze thrice in 2002, 2012 and 2018.
And for the most part of that journey has been one key constant – Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene. The 37-year old forward, who made her WAFCON debut with Cameroon in 2008, is excited about the opporunity of featuring in a record eighth WAFCON.
“It is a great pleasure for me to represent my nation – Cameroon. We have an opportunity to build on everything that has been done over the years. Against Mali, we face a familiar opponent and our objective is to register a positive result on Wednesday,” Onguene says.
Cameroon have won four of their previous five meetings against Mali with the other ending in a 2-2 draw back in 2004. Both teams have scored in four of their five previous WAFCON meetings. The only clean sheet was recorded by Cameroon in their 2-0 victory in 2006.
