Cameroon Defeats Mali and Moves Firmly Into the Race for the WAFCON 2026 Quarterfinals

Cameroon earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Mali in a match that was far more physical than entertaining, as part of Group D of the 2026 WAFCON. Thanks to a brace from Marie Gisèle Ngah Manga, the Indomitable Lionesses capitalized on their best moments of the match to secure three crucial points in Casablanca and climb into second place in the group.

Although the scoreboard featured three goals, the contest was largely defined by fierce midfield battles, physical duels, and a lack of clear-cut scoring opportunities for long stretches.

Ngah Manga Made the Difference

The opening minutes were tightly contested. Mali created the first real threat in the fifth minute when Orika Sissoko headed a free kick that dropped dangerously behind the goal defended by Michaely Bihina.

From that point on, the match became a midfield battle. Both teams shared possession, but neither could find spaces to break through the opposing defensive lines. Mali repeatedly looked to exploit the flanks with long passes, but offside calls and inaccurate deliveries prevented them from creating sustained danger.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 13th minute.

Marie Gisèle Ngah Manga, the Galatasaray forward, latched onto a superb through ball between the center backs, controlled it brilliantly with her chest, and calmly finished past Fatoumata Karentao to give Cameroon the lead with an outstanding piece of individual skill.

A Lengthy VAR Review Led to Mali's Equalizer

Mali responded through a quick counterattack. A perfectly timed through ball found Aïssata Traoré, and Michaely Bihina came off her line too late, bringing down the striker inside the penalty area.

What initially looked like a straightforward decision quickly became one of the most dramatic moments of the match. The VAR review lasted nearly five minutes as officials examined a possible foul earlier in the build-up. After the lengthy delay, the penalty decision stood.

Aïssata Traoré, who plays for Boston Legacy FC, stepped up and confidently buried the penalty into the bottom-right corner. Her celebration also caught everyone's attention as she recreated Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic "SIUUU."

The equalizer shifted the momentum. Mali enjoyed more possession and pushed Cameroon deeper into its own half, although the West Africans struggled to create genuine scoring chances.

The remainder of the first half settled back into a slow, physical battle, with two moments of attacking brilliance producing the 1-1 scoreline at halftime.

Cameroon Took Control After the Break

Everything changed in the second half.

The Indomitable Lionesses returned with greater intensity, pressed much higher up the field, and consistently won possession in attacking areas. Mali found it increasingly difficult to escape its own half and spent much of the second period defending close to its penalty area.

Cameroon continued to build pressure, but Fatoumata Karentao kept Mali alive with a spectacular save in the 61st minute, denying Ngah Manga's second goal with an incredible reaction almost on the goal line.

Moments later, however, the Malian goalkeeper made her only major mistake of the match.

Rushing off her line, Karentao fouled Ngah Manga inside the box, and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. The Cameroon forward took responsibility herself and converted with authority to complete her brace and restore her team's lead.

The second-half statistics reflected Cameroon's dominance, finishing the match with 14 shots compared to just four for Mali.

A Massive Victory in Group D

Needing an equalizer, Mali pushed forward during the closing stages. Aïssata Traoré had the visitors' best opportunity in the 82nd minute after breaking through on goal, but a heavy touch allowed the defense to recover and clear the danger.

Deep into stoppage time, Salimata Diarra received one final chance following a loose ball inside the area. She chose to hit it first time, but her volley lacked power and was comfortably gathered by Michaely Bihina, sealing the victory for Cameroon.

With the win, combined with Ghana's 2-0 victory over Cape Verde, Cameroon moves into second place in Group D on goal difference. The Indomitable Lionesses will now face Ghana in a high-stakes showdown that could determine the group's final standings, while Mali takes on Cape Verde in a must-win match to keep its WAFCON 2026 hopes alive.