Cameroon’s hopes of advancing in the U20 Women’s World Cup remain intact despite a narrow 1-0 loss to host nation Colombia. The match, held in Bogotá, saw the Cameroonian side battle valiantly but ultimately fall short. The decisive goal came from a free-kick by Colombia’s Muñoz, while Cameroon had their chances thwarted by VAR, which denied them a penalty in the 76th minute. Despite an additional ten minutes of stoppage time, the scoreline remained unchanged.
Earlier in the tournament, Cameroon secured a commendable 2-2 draw against Mexico, thanks to a standout performance by Naomi Eto, who scored both goals for her team in the second half (52nd and 85th minutes).
This result highlighted the team’s resilience and attacking prowess.
Despite the defeat to Colombia, Cameroon’s coach Hassan Balla remains optimistic about their prospects.
“It’s complicated. We were up against a very good opponent. We’re not worried. We’re going to work to better manage the third match.
We’re going to approach it with a lot of serenity. We’ll do our utmost to win this match,” Balla stated.
Cameroon currently sits in third place in their group but still has a chance to advance to the knockout stages.
The team will face Australia in their final group stage match, scheduled to take place in Bogotá from Friday night to Saturday morning, at 11 p.m. Algerian time.
With their fate hanging in the balance, the Cameroonian squad will need a strong performance against Australia to secure a place in the round of 16.
The outcome of this crucial match will determine whether the Lionesses can continue their journey in the tournament.
