By Harry Awurumibe, Head, Abuja Bureau
It took the experiences of two Indomitable Lionesses stars, Ajara Njoya Nchout and Aboudi Onguene to save Cameroon from home defeat by visiting Zambian senior national women’s team, Copper Queens in the fifth round first leg of Tokyo 2020 Olympics African qualifier tie which ended 3-2 in favour of the host team late Thursday at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé
Cameroon was stunned barely 36′ into the match when Zambia’s Grace Chanda 36′ scored a beautiful goal to silence the home crowd but the visitors’ celebration lasted for just four minutes before Ajare drove past the Zambian defenders, got closer to target and hit a powerful shot which rested in the net for the equaliser. First half ended one goal apiece.
The second half saw both teams coming at each other in order to get the upper hand and Cameroonian star, Onguene put her country in front for the first time in the game when she scored in the 73′ to send home fans into estacy. But the jubilation was still on when Chanda who scored the first goal in the 36′ hit her brace in the 74′. This again threw the home team into panic and the Coach Alain Djuemba’s side had to rely on the experience of Onguene to rescue Cameroon when she scored the winning goal in the 89′ to hand her team an advantage going into the second leg match in Lusaka on March 10.
Thus Cameroon which came into the encounter as clear favourites because of their pedigree in Africa and the world, had to fight till late into the game to avoid a home upset in Yaounde.
Cameroon will hope they did enough at home to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at the expense of Zambia in the second leg to seal an automatic ticket to the Olympics even as the Indomitable Lionesses came into the final stage with dreams of an Olympic return for the first time since London 2012, having seen off Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Cote d’Ivoire.
On the other hand, the Copper Queens, who are seeking to make a historic qualification to the Olympics, overcame Angola, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Kenya to reach the final round for the first time.
For Zambia, they will be counting on their massive two away goals as they return home in the hope to make history in front of their fans at Nkoloma Stadium.
The winner over two legs will secure an automatic ticket to the Olympics, while the loser will take on Chile in a South American/African playoff in April.
