By Angu Lesley
Cameroon’s U20 women’s national team moved a step closer to securing qualification for the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland after a convincing 3-1 victory over Tanzania on Saturday, May 2, at the Stade Omnisports de Mfandena in Yaoundé.
Despite a shaky start, the Young Lionesses showed resilience and attacking quality to overturn an early setback against the Tanzanite Queens in this crucial first-leg qualifier.
Tanzania stunned the home crowd by taking the lead in the 17th minute, putting early pressure on Coach Hassan Balla’s side. But Cameroon gradually found their rhythm and responded before halftime through the in-form Maeva Nyadjou, who restored parity in the 37th minute.
With momentum shifting in their favor, Cameroon grabbed the lead deep into first-half stoppage time when Kiki Meva found the back of the net in the 45+4th minute, sending the hosts into the break with a 2-1 advantage.
The Lionesses came out stronger after the restart and further tightened their grip on the tie just four minutes into the second half. Nyadjou completed her brace in the 49th minute, giving Cameroon a valuable two-goal cushion heading into the decisive second leg.
The 3-1 scoreline puts Cameroon in a strong position ahead of the return leg scheduled for May 10 in Zanzibar, where the Young Lionesses will look to finish the job and seal qualification for the global tournament.
For head coach Hassan Balla, the result represents another major step toward history, as he now stands on the verge of guiding Cameroon to back-to-back FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup appearances.
With a two-goal advantage and three away goals not a factor under current competition rules, Cameroon knows a disciplined performance in Zanzibar could be enough to book their place in Poland and continue the country’s growing reputation in women’s youth football.
The mission is not complete, but after Saturday’s strong comeback in Yaoundé, the Young Lionesses have one foot firmly planted on the road to Poland 2026.
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