Cameroon pushed to vie for Wafcon playoff spot
Cameroon's Gabrielle Onguene arrives to the quarterfinal loss to Nigeria that ensured that they must wait to make the World Cup.
What you need to know:
- Their opponents on Sunday and Wafcon debutants, Botswana, also fell 2-1 to Morocco on Wednesday.
Cameroon's Indomitable Lionesses have one last bite at the cherry, tonight against Botswana, as they vie to make it to next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Cameroon fell to Nigerian forward Rasheedat Ajibade's 56th minute goal in Thursday's Women Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) quarterfinals to not fall out of contention for the continental trophy that continues to elude them but also out of automatic qualification to Oceania.
Their opponents on Sunday and Wafcon debutants, Botswana, also fell 2-1 to Morocco on Wednesday.
Wafcon has doubled as the continent's World Cup qualifier and the four automatic slots have fallen to South Africa and their region-mates Zambia, west Africa giants and 11 time continental champions Nigeria plus north Africa champions Morocco.
Botswana's position in tonight's repechage, speaks to the growth of football in southern Africa and their attacking style will pose a threat to the Cameroonians, who have played with 19 Wafcon debutants this year.
Stronger qualifiers
The west Africans have argued that the qualification process to Wafcon, which is done at zonal level, puts some of their strong teams like Ghana - for this edition - out of a competition, which they feel they can put up a stronger show than counterparts from other Caf zones.
It is an argument to push for Wafcon qualifiers where anyone can play anyone like Caf does for its youth football World Cup qualifiers.
That argument will only grow if Caf continues to use the Wafcon as a qualifier for the World Cup and could be backed or debunked depending on how those that go to the international showpiece next year perform.
Senegal, who lost to Zambia 4-2 on penalties in the quarters, have put up a commendable account of themselves on their return to Wafcon after 10 years.
The Lionesses of Teranga take on another impressive side in north Africa's Tunisia, who limited South Africa to just a 1-0 win in the quarters, tonight.
Whichever teams win in the repechage matches tonight, get the consolation of going to Oceania early next year for the inter-confederation World Cup qualification playoffs.
WOMEN AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
REPECHAGE - SUNDAY
Senegal vs. Tunisia, 8pm
Botswana vs. Cameroon, 11pm
