Nigeria vs Cameroon: WAFCON rivalry set to be reignited in Casablanca showdown

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nigeria/KbvGP3KC/"]Nigeria[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cameroon/GjLfzCAQ/"]Cameroon[/a] will renew their fierce rivalry when they meet in the quarter-finals of the ongoing Women’s [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/south-africa/23FeDl3D/"]Africa[/a] Cup of Nations in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IButJ9mf/"]Morocco[/a].[/p][p]The two African powerhouses secured their knockout places in contrasting fashion, setting up what promises to be a thrilling encounter at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca.[/p][p]The Super Falcons endured a difficult start after suffering a surprise defeat to WAFCON debutants [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/malawi/A3EAueis/"]Malawi[/a], but recovered to reach the knockout stage as Group D runners-up. [/p][p]Cameroon, meanwhile, topped their group after recording victories over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mali/GW2cxMwh/"]Mali[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ghana/fTSIFW3l/"]Ghana[/a] before drawing 1-1 with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/6aOchpuH/"]Cape Verde[/a].[/p][p]With both sides boasting a rich history in African women’s football, the quarter-final offers another chapter in their storied rivalry. [b]Flashscore[/b] looks back at their memorable WAFCON meetings ahead of the highly anticipated clash.[/p][embed guid="1ddd941d-4f41-485c-990c-79682fb023df" url="https://x.com/NGSuper_Falcons/status/2085288275892191455" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Nigeria 6-0 Cameroon (Kaduna) Oct 27, 1998[/h2][p]Both countries first met in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 1998, in a semi-final clash held at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna. [/p][p]It proved a night to forget for the Indomitable [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/london-city-lionesses/Qyn18a5D/"]Lionesses[/a], who suffered a heavy 6-0 defeat against a dominant Nigerian side.[/p][p]Inspired by legendary figures including [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/okosieme-ejiro/84uMQmma/"]Nkiru Okosieme[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/avrevaya-liroy/Qq77zsLO/"]Patience Avre[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/onyedika-raphael/lGk4guoq/"]Rita Nwadike[/a], Nigeria swept aside Cameroon to reach the final. [/p][p]The Super Falcons maintained their momentum against Ghana, securing victory in the final and earning Africa’s sole qualification spot for the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the United States. [/p][h2]Nigeria 3-0 Cameroon (Boksburg) Nov 18, 2000[/h2][p]The second meeting between Nigeria and Cameroon at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations ended in another convincing victory for the Super Falcons, who secured a 3-0 win over the Indomitable Lionesses.[/p][p]The clash came during the fourth edition of the tournament, where the defending champions made a slow start after surrendering a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw against Ghana. [/p][p]Nigeria responded emphatically, thrashing Morocco 6-0 before facing Cameroon in their final Group B fixture.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sikelo-mercy/29UYdt3B/"]Mercy Akide[/a] opened the scoring for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sarr-ismaila/ll2uTDkB/"]Ismaila Mabo[/a]’s side in the 14th minute, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yusuf-alhassan/naY5y3Ap/"]Olaitan Yusuf[/a] doubled Nigeria’s advantage in the 35th minute. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kimono-maureen/hhlY7PBO/"]Maureen Mmadu[/a] completed the victory in the 90th minute as the Super Falcons comfortably secured top spot in the group.[/p][image alt="Nkwocha and Nigeria team" id="526aef56-1f92-4e95-b116-c5fb3a3562bc" credit-line="ČTK / AP / Michael Probst" guid="3ab8ce55-89b6-46ff-99b9-b8b66c2505e0" original-width="1400" original-height="1060" /][h2]Cameroon 2-2 Nigeria (Germiston) Sept 22, 2004[/h2][p]After two unsuccessful attempts, Cameroon avoided defeat against Nigeria for the first time when the two sides played out a 2-2 draw in a Group B encounter.[/p][p]During the tournament hosted by South Africa, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nkwocha-perpetua/r7GRJjgC/"]Perpetua Nkwocha[/a] gave the Super Falcons an early lead in the 10th minute at Germiston Stadium. [/p][p]Nigeria held their advantage until the 61st minute, when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbida-steve/xpios8H0/"]Mekongo Mbida[/a] restored parity for Cameroon.[/p][p]Eight minutes later, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/uwak-cynthia/0K9LizDQ/"]Cynthia Uwak[/a] restored Nigeria’s lead, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bella-francoise/Wt9cYQMe/"]Francoise Bella[/a] had the final say, scoring in the 74th minute to earn the Indomitable Lionesses a valuable point.[/p][p]The two teams met again in the final, where Nigeria produced a dominant display to win 5-0. Nkwocha scored four goals at Johannesburg Stadium, while Vera Okolo added the fifth seven minutes from full time.[/p][h2]Nigeria 5-0 Cameroon (Warri) Nov 7, 2006[/h2][p]Perpetua Nkwocha stole the spotlight with a hat-trick as Nigeria cruised to a convincing 5-0 victory over Cameroon in a thrilling WAFCON semi-final at Warri Stadium.[/p][p]After a closely contested opening, the Super Falcons broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute when Cynthia Uwak found the net. [/p][p]Nkwocha then doubled the advantage just before half-time, putting the defending champions firmly in control.[/p][p]The four-time African Women’s Player of the Year completed her hat-trick with goals in the 46th and 54th minutes, leaving Lionesses with little hope of a comeback.[/p][p]Efioanwan Ekpo completed the rout a minute after the hour mark as Nigeria marched into the final, where they edged Ghana 1-0 in a tightly contested encounter to retain their continental crown.[/p][h2]Nigeria 1-1 (4-3 pen) Cameroon (Malabo) Nov 28, 2008[/h2][p]For the first time in the competition’s history, Nigeria failed to reach the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. [/p][p]After suffering a 1-0 semi-final defeat to hosts [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/equatorial-guinea/SSk4lP2F/"]Equatorial Guinea[/a], the Super Falcons faced Cameroon in the third-place playoff, following the Indomitable Lionesses' 3-0 defeat to South Africa.[/p][p]At the Estadio Internacional, Nigeria took the lead in the 28th minute through Maureen Eke, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/onguene-gabrielle/AuWSgs8r/"]Gabrielle Onguene[/a] restored parity four minutes after the hour mark.[/p][p]Neither side could find a winning goal during 120 minutes, sending the contest into a penalty shootout. [/p][p]Cameroon’s hopes were dented when Francoise Bella and Seraphine Mbida missed their spot-kicks, allowing Nigeria to secure victory and finish third.[/p][image alt="Cameroon women" id="d48b5a4f-db71-4403-a773-c85c35306b36" credit-line="CHINE NOUVELLE / Sipa Press / Profimedia" guid="74b80124-24e9-46ea-84cc-fffdbb958600" original-width="1400" original-height="932" /][h2]Nigeria 5-1 Cameroon, (Daveyton) Nov 11, 2010 [/h2][p]Nigeria recorded a 5-1 victory over Cameroon en route to winning their sixth Africa Women’s Cup of Nations title. [/p][p]In the semi-final at Sinaba Stadium, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/idah-adam/fqlcUxV3/"]Ngozi Eucharia Uche[/a]’s side took a deserved lead through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ukaonu-helen/IT4dJUNO/"]Helen Ukaonu[/a] in the 33rd minute before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oparanozie-desire/vHCIxhOn/"]Desire Oparanozie[/a] doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time.[/p][p]Jeannette Ngock reduced the deficit in the 46th minute, but Perpetua Nkwocha completed a second-half hat-trick to put the result beyond doubt.[/p][p]Nigeria advanced to the final, where they defeated Equatorial Guinea 4-2 to lift the continental title.[/p][h2]Nigeria 2-1 Cameroon (Bata) Oct 29, 2012 [/h2][p]Nigeria began their WAFCON campaign with an impressive 2-1 victory over the Indomitable Lionesses at the Nkoantoma Stadium in Bata.[/p][p]Goals from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ohadugha-martina/bqZVVYRI/"]Martina Ohadugha[/a] and Perpetua Nkwocha secured the win for the Super Falcons, while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/manie-christine/plaEwWv4/"]Christine Manie[/a] pulled one back for Cameroon.[/p][p]The two teams met again in the third-place playoff, where Cameroon triumphed 1-0, courtesy of a first-half strike from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/abiodun-deborah/vH0MdtIk/"]Gaelle Deborah Enganamouit[/a].[/p][h2]Nigeria 2-0 Cameroon (Windhoek) Oct 25, 2014[/h2][p]The Super Falcons marched to their seventh African title after defeating Cameroon 2-0 in the final at the Sam Nujoma Stadium.[/p][p]Nigeria had overcome South Africa 2-1 in the semi-final to book their place in the showpiece, while the Indomitable Lionesses edged past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ivory-coast/2iLuzkms/"]Ivory Coast[/a] on penalties to reach the final.[/p][p]Edwin Okon’s side produced a dominant first-half display, with Desire Oparanozie opening the scoring before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/oshoala-asisat/bHC07VMC/"]Asisat Oshoala[/a] doubled Nigeria’s advantage.[/p][p]The Super Falcons held firm after the break to secure a memorable victory and another continental crown.[b]    [/b][/p][h2]Nigeria 1-0 Cameroon (Yaounde) Dec 3, 2016[/h2][p][b] [/b]Nigeria extended their dominance of the WAFCON by claiming a record eighth title with a 1-0 victory over hosts Cameroon before a packed crowd of 40,000 in Yaounde.[/p][p]Desire Oparanozie scored the decisive goal seven minutes from time, capitalising on a pass from tournament top scorer Asisat Oshoala to seal another continental crown for the Super Falcons.[/p][p]Cameroon enjoyed the better of the first half, with Aboudi Onguene among those who came close, but they were unable to convert their chances.[/p][p]The defeat marked another final disappointment for the Indomitable Lionesses, who also finished runners-up to Nigeria in 2014. [/p][p]Despite huge home support, the Lionesses could not stop the Falcons from retaining their title and further underlining their dominance of African women’s football.[/p][h2]Nigeria 0-0 (4-2 on pen) Cameroon (Accra) Nov 27, 2018[/h2][p]Both countries met for the eighth consecutive edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, with the Falcons once again emerging victorious in a dramatic semi-final in Accra.[/p][p]The two rivals played out a goalless draw at the Accra Sports Stadium before Nigeria prevailed 4-2 on penalties to reach the 2018 WAFCON final. [/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ebere-ngozi/U3sFZGSg/"]Ngozi Ebere[/a], Asisat Oshoala, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ajibade-rasheedat/tIgP08Sp/"]Rasheedat Ajibade[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ebi-onome/vw6hKA8I/"]Onome Ebi[/a] all converted their spot-kicks for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ijamilusi-folashade/YebSMkk4/"]Florence Omagbemi[/a]’s team, while Cameroon’s Gaelle Enganamouit missed hers.[/p][p]Nigeria advanced to defeat South Africa in the final on penalties after scores stood goalless after 120 minutes. [/p][h2]Nigeria 1-0 Cameroon (Rabat) July 14, 2022[/h2][p]The rivalry returned to North Africa after the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [/p][p]Once again, it was the Super Falcons who came out on top, securing a narrow 1-0 victory over Cameroon at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca.[/p][p]Rasheedat Ajibade scored the decisive goal in the 56th minute, sending Nigeria into the semi-finals. [/p][p]However, the Super Falcons’ title hopes ended against hosts Morocco, before they suffered another setback in the third-place playoff, losing to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/zambia/rmKdcHAi/"]Zambia[/a] following an own goal from goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nnadozie-chiamaka/tnZ6xVli/"]Chiamaka Nnadozie[/a].[/p]