Leocadia Bongben
10 March 2008
The National female football squad, the Indomitable Lionesses, has qualified for the 2008 African Cup of Nations billed for November in Equatorial Guinea.
The Lionesses earned their qualification on Saturday, March 8, at the Amadou Ahidjo Stadium, after humbling the Tanzanian selection 2-1. The Lionesses qualified on a 5-1 goals aggregate after they beat their Tanzanian counterpart a fortnight ago in Dar Es Salam.
It was the Tanzanian ladies that opened scores at the 15th minute of the first half of the encounter through Asha Rashid, from a free kick, jolting the Lionesses from slumber. The Lionesses gradually entered the game and equalised ten minutes later with a goal from Aboudi Ongene.
At the 40th minute still of the first half, Bekombo Manuela scored the second and final goal that sealed the Lionesses' qualification.Though the first half was low-keyed; the second half saw the Lioness in total control of the game that was played for most of the time on the Tanzanian side of the field.
In spite of many squandered goal-scoring chances, the Lioness played a beautiful game.
Speaking to the press after the match, the national coach, Enow Ngachu, expressed satisfaction at the qualification, though he said he wished the Lionesses had scored many more goals.
With four months to prepare for the CAN, Ngachu insisted on the need to prospect and include professionals into the team at all cost. He also emphasised on the training of the junior team, so as to have more players for the senior team.
For the Tanzanian Coach, Charles Itewasa, said the Cameroonian team deserved to win, given their physical qualities and experience. He said their team is a new one and there is a good programme to make the team better through training and exposure from many friendly matches that would be organised.
He, however, said his team made some corrections and improved after the last match in Tanzania.
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