Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses Advance in Olympic Qualifiers After Liberia’s Withdrawal
Cameroon’s women’s national football team, the Indomitable Lionesses, have progressed to the third and final round of qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games—without having to play a single match.
The unexpected development follows the official withdrawal of the Liberian women’s team from the qualifiers. The news was confirmed in a statement issued by the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), which cited a letter received from FIFA on April 28, 2015.
“The Cameroon Football Federation informs the national public and the relevant competent authorities that, by its correspondence of today, April 28, 2015, addressed to the Competitions Department of FECAFOOT, FIFA has announced the withdrawal of the Liberian women’s team from the Qualifications for the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games,” the statement read.
As a result, the two-leg tie scheduled to be played in Yaoundé on May 2 and 8 has been canceled. Cameroon is now automatically through to the next and final stage of the African qualifiers for the Olympic Games.
The Indomitable Lionesses, who impressed during their appearance at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, are now one step away from securing a place at Rio 2016. The team, led by a generation of experienced and rising stars, is seen as one of the continent’s strongest contenders for Olympic qualification.
With this walkover, the Lionesses gain valuable time to regroup and prepare for the decisive third round, where tougher opposition is expected as teams battle for limited spots representing Africa in Brazil.
