Cameroon Beat Morocco on Penalties to Reach Women's Africa Cup of Nations Final

2026-08-13 community

Rabat, 13 August 2026
Goalkeeper Michaely Bihina saved four penalties to guide Cameroon past hosts Morocco into the WAFCON 2026 final after a dramatic goalless draw in Rabat.

From Historic Qualification to Semi-Final Heartbreak

Just days after Morocco and Algeria made history as the first North African nations to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil [1], the competitive landscape of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) has dramatically shifted. On Wednesday, 12 August 2026, the semi-final matches in Rabat concluded with high drama, leaving the host nation to contemplate what could have been [2][3]. Despite the intense pre-match excitement, which saw Morocco’s earlier quarter-final victory over South Africa draw a crowd of 19,112 at a 22,000-capacity stadium [2]—representing 86.873% capacity [2]—the Atlas Lionesses fell short of their ultimate dream of reaching a third consecutive final [3][5].

A Tense Battle at Moulay El Hassan Stadium

The clash between Morocco and Cameroon at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium was a masterclass in defensive discipline [3][4]. Morocco dominated possession but struggled to penetrate an organised Cameroonian side [3]. The home side had early opportunities, with Sanaa Mssoudy striking the post in the 14th minute and hitting the side-netting in the second half [3]. However, the definitive moment of the match arrived in the 118th minute of extra time [5]. Following a video assistant referee (VAR) review, Morocco was awarded a penalty [3]. Fatima Tagnaout stepped up, but her tame left-footed effort was brilliantly saved by Cameroon’s goalkeeper, Michaely Bihina, keeping the scoreline deadlocked at 0-0 [3][5].

Bihina’s Heroics and Shootout Drama

Bihina, who plays domestically for Benfica in Cameroon, had already established herself as a formidable force after making nine saves in the quarter-final upset against Nigeria [3][4]. In the shootout, she cemented her legendary status [3]. After Morocco’s Hanane Aït El Haj and Cameroon’s Marie Ngah, Rose Bella, and Myriam Nyadjou converted their kicks [5], Bihina denied Kenza Chapelle, Meryem Atiq, and Sakina Ouzraoui [5]. Cameroon secured a 3-1 penalty shootout victory [5], marking a stunning reversal of fortune for a nation that had lost all three of its previous WAFCON penalty shootouts [5], while ending Morocco’s proud record of shootout victories in the 2022 and 2024 semi-finals [5].

A New Champion Awaits in the Final

Cameroon’s triumph sends them to their first WAFCON final since 2016 [3], where they will face Malawi on Sunday, 16 August 2026 [2][3]. Malawi secured their place in the final with a resounding 3-1 victory over Algeria in the other semi-final [7]. Led by coach Lovermore Fazili, the debutant Malawians have defied the odds, relying on the exceptional form of the Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa [2][6]. With Malawi ranked 153rd in the FIFA rankings [2], Fazili expressed immense pride, stating that everyone back home is looking forward to the team achieving something special [2]. Regardless of who wins on Sunday, African football is guaranteed a brand-new name on the WAFCON trophy [3].

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women's football WAFCON 2026