Angu Lesley Ngwa Akonwi
Football Writer,kick442.com-Cameroon
The once-mighty Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon have crashed out of the race for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), falling 3–1 on aggregate to Algeria — a result that has plunged the nation’s women’s football into its lowest ebb in decades.
Their elimination not only denies Cameroon a place at next year’s continental showpiece in Morocco but also shuts the door on qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup — the second consecutive global event they will miss. For a team that once stood among Africa’s elite, the latest setback feels like the closing chapter of a golden generation.
From pride to pain
Cameroon entered the return leg in Douala knowing they needed a single-goal victory to overturn a 2–1 deficit from the first leg in Oran. But rather than inspiring a comeback, the Lionesses wilted under pressure.
A stunning long-range strike in the first half sealed a 1–0 win for Algeria on the day and completed a 3–1 aggregate triumph — leaving the Cameroonian crowd at the Reunification Stadium in stunned silence.
Captain Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene, back from suspension, fought tirelessly on the wings. Nchout Njoya Ajara, scorer of Cameroon’s lone goal in Oran, tried to inspire her teammates again but found little support in a side that looked short on ideas, energy, and belief.
A generational decline
Cameroon’s decline has been steady but unmistakable. Between 2014 and 2018, the Lionesses reached the AWCON final twice, participated in two consecutive World Cups, and were hailed as a continental powerhouse.
Yet, seven years on, they have failed to qualify for back-to-back AWCON tournaments — a shocking statistic for a country that once boasted the likes of Gaëlle Enganamouit, Raïssa Feudjio, and Geneviève Ngo Mbeleck at their peak.
Coach Jean-Baptiste Bisseck’s team selections and tactics have also drawn criticism
This latest failure mirrors their 2024 exit to Kenya, which cost them a place at the last AWCON. Now, missing the World Cup for a second time running signals deeper structural problems in Cameroonian women’s football.
Questions over leadership and planning
Fans and pundits alike have begun asking hard questions. Has Cameroon’s women’s programme been neglected amid administrative wrangling within FECAFOOT? Why has there been so little renewal in the squad despite clear signs of stagnation?
Coach Jean-Baptiste Bisseck’s team selections and tactics have also drawn criticism
Coach Jean-Baptiste Bisseck’s team selections and tactics have also drawn criticism. While Cameroon still possess experienced names, their play often lacks fluidity, creativity, and tactical clarity — qualities that emerging teams like Morocco, Zambia, and even Algeria have developed in recent years.
“We can’t keep relying on memories of 2016,” lamented a former Indomitable Lioness who pleaded her name not be revealed. “The world has moved forward, but we haven’t,” she added.
Algeria rise, Cameroon retreat
For Algeria, this victory marks a moment of resurgence. After years in the shadows, they have now reached successive AWCONs and look set to challenge for continental recognition once more.
For Cameroon, however, the defeat symbolizes regression. The Lionesses, once a permanent fixture at Africa’s biggest stages, now face a painful rebuild from the ground up.
A call for renewal
If there is a silver lining, it lies in the opportunity to reset. With veterans nearing the twilight of their careers, this could be the moment to invest in youth development, domestic league structures, and better preparation for international competition.
Cameroon still has raw talent scattered across Europe and the local championship — but unless the football federation prioritizes long-term planning, the Lionesses risk fading permanently from the continental map.
For now, the roar of the Indomitable Lionesses has been reduced to a whisper — their once-feared pride silenced by yet another qualification heartbreak. The question haunting Cameroonian football is no longer how did we get here? but rather who will lead the revival?
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