Nigeria’s Nigeria women’s national football team delivered a commanding response in their second pre-WAFCON friendly, defeating Cameroon’s Cameroon women’s national football team 3-1 at the Military Stadium in Yaounde on Tuesday.
Coming three days after a slim 1-0 defeat in the first fixture, the nine-time African champions produced a more assertive and clinical performance to reverse the earlier result. Cameroon struck first in the seventh minute, briefly raising concerns of a repeat outcome.
However, forward Chinwendu Ihezuo restored parity in the 32nd minute, nodding home a well-delivered cross from Rinsola Babajide. Babajide then turned scorer herself on the stroke of halftime, finishing from close range after a goalmouth scramble to hand Nigeria a 2-1 advantage.
The visitors extended their lead in the 64th minute when Michelle Alozie connected with a precise delivery from captain Rasheedat Ajibade, heading home to seal the 3-1 win.
Head coach Justine Madugu fielded a more experienced line-up for the encounter, with Chiamaka Nnadozie in goal and key players such as Osinachi Ohale, Folashade Ijamilusi, Christy Ucheibe, and Babajide in the starting eleven. Jennifer Echegini, Oluwatosin Demehin, Ajibade, Shukurat Oladipo, Ihezuo and Alozie also featured in the strong squad.
The fixture formed part of preparations for the 14th edition of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place in Morocco from 17 March to 3 April 2026.
Drawn in Group C, Nigeria will begin their campaign against Malawi in Casablanca before facing Zambia and Egypt. Cameroon, placed in Group D, are set to meet Ghana, Mali and Cape Verde.
The convincing result restores confidence within the Nigerian camp following Saturday’s setback and underlines the team’s status as a dominant force in African women’s football. Meanwhile, speculation persists within continental football circles over a potential postponement of the tournament, although the Confederation of African Football has yet to make any official announcement.
