Cameroon opened its 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 2-1 victory over Mali on Wednesday.
The Lionesses took the lead in the 13th minute when M.G.D.N. Manga finished a move created by M. Ngock. Mali responded before halftime as A. Traoré converted a penalty in the 30th minute to level the score at 1-1.
Both coaches made several changes after the break in search of the winning goal. Cameroon regained the lead in the 73rd minute when the referee awarded another penalty, and the Lionesses converted the spot kick to make it 2-1. They controlled the closing stages and held on until the final whistle.
The win moves Cameroon into second place in Group D. Ghana leads the group, while Mali sits in third place and Cape Verde occupies the bottom spot after the opening round.
