The road to the CameroonOnline.ORG | FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Poland 2026 is heating up, and if the first-leg results are any indication, Cameroon is not just participating—they are dominating.
While other continental powerhouses like Nigeria and Kenya had to fight tooth and nail for narrow 1-0 advantages, the U-20 Lionesses turned their match against Botswana into a masterclass, cruising to a 5-0 victory that has all of Africa talking.
A Masterclass at Olembe
Playing in front of a home crowd at the Olembe Stadium in Yaoundé, coach Hassan Bala’s side showed zero signs of pressure. From the opening whistle, the Lionesses displayed a level of clinical finishing that set them apart from every other team in this qualifying round.
The scoring sheet tells the story of a balanced, dangerous attacking unit:
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Effa Essomba set the tone early, converting a penalty in the 18th minute.
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Beverly Nimpa doubled the lead before the half-hour mark.
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The second half saw no let-up, with Rachou Assako, Aurore Tsimi (another clinical penalty), and Andree Ngo Bilong completing the rout.
Standing Tall Among Giants
To put Cameroon’s performance into perspective, look at the other results across the continent this weekend:
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Nigeria (the “Falconets”) only managed a 1-0 win over Senegal.
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Kenya secured a slim 1-0 lead against Tanzania via a late 84th-minute goal.
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Uganda and Zambia are locked in a 1-1 stalemate.
While these teams face high-stakes, “anything-can-happen” return legs, Cameroon has essentially put one foot in the next round. Their 5-0 cushion is the largest of the third round, proving that this generation of Lionesses has the depth and discipline to go all the way to Poland.
What’s Next?
The job isn’t finished yet, but the momentum is undeniable. Cameroon will head to Botswana for the return leg on February 13, carrying a massive aggregate lead.
If they maintain this form, they won’t just qualify; they’ll head into the final round of qualifiers as the team everyone else is desperate to avoid.
“Cameroon produced the most remarkable performance… moving firmly into control of their tie.” — CAF Online