Cameroon on Sunday defeated Botswana by a lone goal to qualify for the Inter Confederations playoff, the avenue to secure a 2023 World Cup ticket to Australia and New Zealand.
The Lionesses were provided a second opportunity after enduring a defeat in the quarter-final from the Super Falcons which if successful, will join Morocco, Nigeria, Zambia and South Africa to represent the continent in the world football event next year. The Trumpet Gathered
Botswana were not piece of meat to be crunched at ease by the Lionesses with goalkeeper Sedilame Boseja in top form, denying captain Ajara Nchout on several occasions.
Following the consistent denial by Mares’ Boseja, Nchout eventually fired one in before the half hour mark to hand Cameroon the lead.
The scoreline was maintained by the resilient Lionesses who fought hard to prevent the debutantes from levelling it until the game’s end.
Though Cameroon were down to 10-woman ‘after substitute Aretouyap was sent off for commiting a plunder on Tholakele’, Botswana failed to take advantage of their numerical strength to tally the scoreline.
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With the victory, Cameroon joined Senegal with with 8 other teams to battle for three available spaces to feature in the Women’s World Cup journey.
Recall that the world football governing body in a bid to improve women’s participation in global football, increased the number of teams in the FIFA Women’s World Cup from 24 to 32.
Like Nigeria and the three countries from Africa that have gotten automatic qualification for Australia and New Zealand tournament next year, Cameroon and Senegal will contend with Panama, Haiti, Thailand and Chinese Taipei who have already qualified for the next year’s playoff.
The playoff for the Inter Confederations competition, to contend for the three available FIFA Women’s World Cup spaces, will be played from 18 to 23 February in New Zealand at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton and Auckland’s North Harbour Stadium according to the Confederations of African Football (CAF).
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