Nigeria eliminated as Cameroon, Malawi reach WAFCON semis and World Cup

Outsiders Malawi suffice for their archetypal FIFA World Cup, portion defending champions Nigeria are eliminated by Cameroon.

Rank outsiders Malawi qualified for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) semifinals and the FIFA World Cup by coming from down to bushed Ghana 2-1 successful Morocco connected Sunday.

Trailing aft conscionable 7 minutes erstwhile Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah volleyed Ghana into the lead, Malawi levelled 5 minutes aboriginal arsenic a Temwa Chawinga changeable was deflected into the net.

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With 79 minutes gone successful Rabat, the Malawians went up erstwhile Rose Kadzere burst into the country and fired past goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan.

Rattled Ghana forced precocious pressure, but ne'er earnestly threatened to equalise successful the WAFCON quarterfinal.

In the semifinals connected Wednesday, Malawi volition look Algeria successful Casablanca aft hosts Morocco tackle Cameroon successful Rabat. None of the teams has antecedently won the WAFCON.

All 4 semifinalists unafraid places astatine the 2027 World Cup successful Brazil. The losing quarterfinalists volition get a 2nd accidental via African and inter-continental playoffs.

Malawi upset Ghana to scope maiden World Cup

Malawi were dismissed arsenic no-hopers earlier the WAFCON arsenic they are ranked 153rd successful the satellite and had ne'er earlier qualified for the marquee African women’s shot tournament.

But they stunned grounds 10-time WAFCON champions Nigeria successful their archetypal match, past bushed Egypt. A nonaccomplishment to Zambia did not forestall them winning the radical connected goals scored.

Ghana had been WAFCON runners-up 3 times and are ranked 62 places supra Malawi, but the longer the quarterfinal progressed, the likelier a daze effect became.

Cameroon extremity Nigeria’s rubric defence

Earlier successful Casablanca, Myriam Nyadjou scored from a escaped footwear to springiness Cameroon a astonishment 1-0 quarterfinal triumph implicit defending champions Nigeria.

The 19-year-old struck aft 19 minutes, slamming a rising changeable past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie and into the country of the net.

Nigeria pressed for an equaliser successful the closing stages, only to beryllium perpetually defied by acrobatic saves from Michaely Bihina.

The closest the Super Falcons came to scoring was successful the 3rd infinitesimal of added clip erstwhile Esther Okoronkwo won a contention for possession with Bihina, but her changeable trickled wide.

Just earlier the miss, Nigeria introduced six-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year Asisat Oshoala, who was not sufficiently acceptable to start.

But the Saudi Arabia-based striker was incapable to marque an impact, and Cameroon comfortably survived the past fewer minutes for lone their 2nd triumph implicit Nigeria successful 14 WAFCON meetings.

As the Namibian referee signalled afloat time, the Cameroon substitutes and coaches raced connected to the transportation and hugged the Indomitable Lionesses.