Cameroon claimed their first Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title on Sunday, thrashing surprise finalists Malawi 3-0 in a one-sided final. Marie Ngah's first-half brace set the tone for a historic victory, as the Indomitable Lionesses finally broke their finals jinx after losing three previous title matches.

Malawi, ranked 153rd in the world and 32nd in Africa, enjoyed a fairytale run to their first-ever continental final, but were outclassed by a Cameroon side that dominated from start to finish. Both finalists had already secured their spots at next year's Women's World Cup in Brazil, alongside semifinalists Morocco and Algeria, with Algeria taking bronze after a penalty shootout on Saturday.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, under pressure amid ongoing controversies, was all smiles as he presented medals to the champions, flanked by CAF president Patrice Motsepe. Several players eagerly posed for photos with the Swiss official, who has long enjoyed support across Africa ahead of his re-election bid in March, despite his abandoned plans to sell a stake in future World Cups drawing worldwide criticism.

Cameroon's victory was never in doubt, as they raced to a 3-0 halftime lead. Ngah opened the scoring in the 20th minute, reacting quickest to a loose ball in the box, and Naomi Eto doubled the lead on the half-hour mark. Ngah then added her second in stoppage time, converting Eto's pass to seal a comprehensive win.

The triumph marks Cameroon as the fourth different winner of the WAFCON since its inception in 1998. Nigeria remain the most successful nation with a record 10 titles, followed by Equatorial Guinea (2) and South Africa (1).

Source: www.aljazeera.com