Keeper Bihina stars as Cameroon upset Morocco to make Wafcon final

By admin — In News — August 13, 2026

   ​Michaely Bihina sent Cameroon back to the Wafcon final for the first time since 2016 [EPA]Michaely Bihina was the heroine as the Cameroon goalkeeper saved an extra-time penalty and three more spot-kicks in a shootout to send her side though to the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations final at the expense of host nation Morocco.The 22-year-old pushed away Fatima Tagnaout’s attempt from 12 yards in the 118th minute to ensure the game in Rabat finished 0-0 after 120 minutes.Bihina then brilliantly kept out efforts from Kenza Chapelle, Maryame Atiq and Sakina Ouzraoui to leave the Moulay Hassan Stadium in stunned silence.Teenage Cameroon defender Maryam Nyadjou held her nerve to secure a 3-1 win on penalties for the Central Africans.The Indomitable Lionesses will face Malawi in Sunday’s final (19:00 GMT) after the southern Africans beat Algeria 3-1 earlier on Wednesday.Cameroon’s run to the final is all the more remarkable given they were knocked out in qualifying and only progressed to the finals on the strength of their world ranking after the Confederation of African Football decided to expand the tournament to 16 teams midway through the preliminary process.Morocco suffer heartbreak againMorocco paid the price after Fatima Tagnaout (centre, wearing 11) failed to convert from the spot in the 118th minute [EPA]While the first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) semi-final was littered with chances and incident, the late game in the capital was a far tighter affair.Morocco created little to reflect their dominance of the ball against an organised and disciplined Cameroon side who grew in confidence in the latter stages of the second half.The Atlas Lionesses came close to an opener in the 14th minute when Sanaa Mssoudy diverted Hanane Ait El Haj’s right-wing cross against the right-hand upright, and the forward also thrashed into the side-netting on the hour mark.A flurry of late chances came at the end of regulation time, with Imane Saoud shooting straight at Bihina, Mssoudy heading wide and Michaela Abam firing over the Morocco bar.Abam then had a shot blocked towards the end of the first period of extra time and Morocco defender Atiq headed over in the second half.The match’s key incident came right at the end of extra time when Morocco were presented with a glorious chance to win the tie following a video assistant referee (VAR) review, with Togolese official Vincentia Amedome deciding Nyadjou had caught Ouzraoui in the face with her arm.Ait El Haj had converted from the spot in the quarter-final win over South Africa but substitute Tagnaout assumed responsibilities and the winger’s tame left-footed effort was palmed away by Bihina.There was more to come from the Cameroon keeper, who plays in her homeland for Benfica and had previously made a remarkable nine stops in her side’s quarter-final upset against 10-time champions Nigeria.Chapelle put her effort too close to Bihina but two stunning stops followed to deny Atiq and Ouzraoui.Khadija Er-Rmi  

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