Cameroon’s head coach Gabriel Zabo has named 19 debutants, including Estelle Johnson in his final squad for the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Experienced defender US-based Johnson, 33, is one of 19 players to taste the African showpiece for the first time as coach Zabo only retained just seven players with experience from previous WAFCON tournament for his side’s 12th campaign at the 12-nation competition.
On the list, all three keepers, seven of the nine defenders plus four of six midfielders and six forwards will be first timers at the WAFCON.
33-year-old captain Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene missed the team’s preparations due to her commitment with her Russian club, CSKA Moscow, but she is heading into her seventh WAFCON tournament.
2019 African Women’s Player of the Year runners up Nchout Njoya Ajara of Inter Milan and Michaela Abam of Houston Dash complete the trio of attackers that featured at the last edition in Ghana.
Midfielders Ngock Yango Grace, Ngo Mbeleck Genevieve plus defenders Marie Aurelle Awona of Napoli and Falone Meffoumetou of Fleury 91 also boasts of previous WAFCON experiences.
Six of the 26 players ply their trade in the Guinness Super League back at home while the rest play abroad, including goalkeeper Bawou Ange, who is fresh from winning the 2022 Nigeria Women’s championship with Bayelsa Queens.
Kevine Ossol, scorer of the winner in the win against Senegal last week and current Guinness Super League top scorer Kameni Alice Flora were included in the squad.
Abam, part of the Cameroon team in at the 2018 tournament but couldn’t get a run out has since cleared her administrative situation and featured at the 2019 FIFA World Cup in France and she returns to the AWCON stage with expectations high.
The major part of the Cameroon contigent leave for France this Monday. They will confront the French Women’s team on Saturday after which they will travel to Morocco.
Cameroon finished third in the last edition of the tournament in 2018, but the Lionesses have expressed their desire to go beyond their personal best of runners-up in 2014 and 2016.
Cameroon Squad
Goalkeepers: Alang Ayangma Pauline Charlotte-FC Ebolowa (Cameroon), Bawou Ange Gabrielle – Bayelsa Queens (Nigeria), Regine Flore Enyegue -Canon FF (Cameroon)
Defenders: Doudou Ousmanou – Amazone FAP (Cameroon), Nguiadem Kamdem Annecy – FC Okzhetpes (Kazakhstan), Éliane Mambo Lamo – Jinelux Juan Grande (Spain), Marie Aurèle Awona – Napoli (Italy), Easther Mayi Kith – Stade Reims (France), Falone Meffometou – Fleury 91 (France), Estelle Laura Johnson – Gotham FC (USA), Ndzana Colette Fegue – Dinamo Minsk (Belarus), Mbengono Catherine – FC Okzhetpes (Kazakhstan)
Midfielders: Brigitte Omboudou – Rivers Angels (Nigeria), Fatima Kome – AJS Soyaux (France), Monique Ngock – Eclair FF (Cameroon), Grâce Yango – FC Fleury 91 (France), Geneviève Ngo Mbeleck – Maccabi Kyriat (Israël), Dabda Claudia – Dinamo Minsk (Belarus)
Forwards: Flora Kameni – Louves Minproff (Cameroon), Kevine Ossol -AS AWA FC (Cameroon), Rose Bella – Trabzonspor (Turkey), Doly Wabeua Diane – Trabzonspor (Turkey), Nchout Njoya Ajara – Inter Milan (Italy), Ewodo Tatiana_Enlsey (Russia), Aboudi Onguene – CSKA Moscow (Russia), Michaela Batya Bisi Abam – Houston Dash (USA)
Source: CAF
Frederick Marfo is a sportswriter and social worker well known for his advocacy for equal chances and rights for all athletes, especially those with disabilities.
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