Nigeria 2-2 Cameroun

The match which had attracted a host of Nigerian fans resident in South Africa and a very overshadowed Camerounian fans with a handful of South Africans started so brightly for Nigeria with the country recording her first goal in the 8th minute through Perpetua Nkwocha whose brilliant execution had followed a brilliant displacement of her Camerounian marker right there in the 18 yard box after receiving a cross from the right wing.

The Nigerian goal keeper, Precious Dede had produced two wonderful saves in the 26th and 34th minute of the game to prevent the highly determined Camerounian side from scoring but sadly Nigeria lost her to injury in the dying minutes of the first half when she sprained her ankle while going for a loose ball and had to take a bow 3 minutes into the resumption of play in the second half.

It must however be stressed that poor marksmanship had denied the Falcons an oppourtunity of going 3-0 up in the first half as Ajumah Ameh and Perpetua Nkwocha were both liable for wasting glaring chances.

The Camerounians equalized in the 60th minute after Captain Kikelomo Ajayi deflected in a Mekongo Cecile low shot beyond a helpless Ogechi Oyinaya in goal for Nigeria but Nigeria replied back in the 68th minute through Cynthia Uwak's timely header from a throw-in, three minutes after she had headed wide infront of a yawning net.

Cameroun almost scored the equalizer in the 69th minute but rampaging Mekongo Cecile shot wide with the Nigerian defence sleeping. The goal however came two minutes later through Bella Josephine who nodded home a Mekongo Cecile cross. 

Mekongo Cecile, known as Bebeto in her playing days in the Nigerian league it must be stressed, turned the game around for the Camerounians after coming in as a substitute in the second half.

The assistant coach to the Camerounian team, Enouw Ngachu  said the result was a great one for Cameroun. "We had studied the Nigerian team well before the game and we were also well prepared for them", were his words.

Niggeria play Mali who were beaten today 0-3 by Algeria in the last game of the group on Saturday while Cameroun take on Algeria on the same day to decide who go through to the semmi-finals.

Reports by Opatola Adewole, Jo'burg, South Africa.