The Group D opening triumph, played on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, was entirely orchestrated by Galatasaray forward Marie Gisèle Ngah Manga, who delivered a clinical individual brace [africatopsports.com]. The hard-fought three points positioned Cameroon cleanly behind group leaders Ghana, completely validating their wildcard reinstatement into the continental tournament [flashscore.com].
Ngah Manga Opens the Account
Cameroon established defensive stability and tactical presence right from the opening whistle, using rapid transitions to breach the Malian lines. The early pressure paid off handsomely in the 14th minute:
- The Opener: Ngah Manga latched onto a brilliant through ball between Mali’s central defenders, controlled the ball smoothly with her chest, and calmly fired a precise strike past goalkeeper Fatoumata Karentao
VAR Drama and Mali’s Equalizer
Mali shifted their tactical shape to exploit space behind the Cameroonian wing-backs, forcing an equalizer right at the half-hour mark. A quick counter-attack saw Boston Legacy forward Aïssata Traoré get brought down inside the penalty area by Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina [beinsports.com].
Following a lengthy five-minute VAR review evaluating a potential foul earlier in the build-up sequence, the referee upheld the decision [beinsports.com]. Aïssata Traoré stepped up confidently in the 30th minute to smash the penalty into the bottom-right corner, sending both teams into the interval tied at 1–1 [beinsports.com].
Securing the Winner From the Spot
The second half saw high physical intensity as both backlines neutralized open-play opportunities. The definitive breakthrough arrived in the 73rd minute when the Malian goalkeeper committed a costly structural error, bringing down a goal-bound Ngah Manga inside the box [africatopsports.com].
Ngah Manga took charge of the ensuing penalty kick, keeping her composure to slot home her second goal of the match and permanently anchor the 2–1 victory [africatopsports.com]. Mali mounted a frantic attack deep into 97 minutes of stoppage time, but Fatoumata Diarra misjudged a close-range volley, allowing Cameroon to claim all three points
