WAFCON 2026: Why Super Falcons must be wary of these 5 Cameroonians in the quarterfinals

The Super Falcons of Nigeria will take on the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, Afrik-Foot reports.

​Reaching this stage of the WAFCON is now almost second nature for the 10-time African champions. Although they suffered a major scare in the group stage after losing to Malawi in their opening match, they managed to salvage their campaign and secure a second-place finish.

​While Nigeria has historically dominated the continent at this level, they cannot afford to take Cameroon lightly, as the Lionesses have proven to be a difficult opponent in past encounters.

​On Sunday, the two heavyweights meet once again. Unsurprisingly, the Super Falcons enter the match as favorites, but Cameroon possess the quality to cause an upset if Nigeria drops their guard.

​Ahead of the crucial fixture, Afrik-Foot highlights five Cameroonian players who could punish the Super Falcons if they are not careful.

5 Cameroonian Players Super Falcons Should Be Wary Of

Marie Ngah

If Nigeria’s defenders had to circle one name on Cameroon’s team sheet, Marie Ngah Manga would be an obvious choice. The forward has been Cameroon’s most decisive player at this tournament so far.

Ngah scored both goals in Cameroon’s 2-1 victory over Mali, including the winning penalty, to immediately announce herself on the WAFCON stage.

A 19th-minute penalty from Marie Ngah Manga proved to be the difference, as the Indomitable Lionesses of #Cameroon beat Black Queens of #Ghana 1-0 to earn their second win of #WAFCON2026 and strengthened their chances of reaching the knockout stage. pic.twitter.com/IEVsrC5ImM

— Olúwashínà Òkélèjì (@oluwashina) August 2, 2026

She then scored the only goal in Cameroon’s 1-0 victory over Ghana, meaning she has already decided two of Cameroon’s three group matches.

That is four goals in the competition. For Nigeria, the danger is not simply her finishing.

Ngah has shown that she can stay involved in matches even when Cameroon are not dominating possession. Against Ghana, for example, Cameroon had only 40.9 per cent possession but still found a way to win.

Nigeria’s centre-backs will therefore need to be alert whenever Cameroon win the ball and transition quickly.

Monique Ngock

Ngock may not attract the same attention as Ngah, but she could be just as important to Cameroon’s plans.

The 21-year-old midfielder has emerged as one of the Indomitable Lionesses’ most important players and has already made an impact at this tournament.

She provided the assist for Ngah’s opening goal against Mali, while her ability to control the midfield has made her an important player of Cameroon’s possession game.

Ngock previously played for Reims and Fleury in France and recently earned a move to Washington Spirit in the NWSL.

If Nigeria allow Ngock time to receive the ball and turn, she can dictate the tempo and release Cameroon’s attackers.

Naomi Eto

Naomi Eto is another player Nigeria’s midfield cannot afford to overlook.

The young midfielder has been identified as one of the emerging stars of this Cameroon side, with her development having taken her through Paris Saint-Germain and a loan spell at Sassuolo.

Eto brings energy and mobility to the middle of the pitch and gives Cameroon another player capable of progressing the ball.

Her presence is particularly important because Cameroon don’t have to rely exclusively on direct football.

They can build through Ngock and Eto before attempting to release their forwards.

That means Christy Ucheibe, Deborah Abiodun and the rest of Nigeria’s midfield will have an important job.

If Cameroon are allowed to gain control centrally, Nigeria could find themselves defending for long periods.

Gabrielle Onguéné

Experience can become invaluable when a knockout match gets tense, and Cameroon have plenty of it in Gabrielle Aboudi Onguéné.

The veteran forward is in her eighth WAFCON appearance, having made her Cameroon debut 16 years ago.

She has also played at the 2015 and 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cups and has twice helped Cameroon reach the WAFCON final. That experience is something Nigeria must respect.

Onguéné may no longer be the player who carried Cameroon’s attack in her younger years, but her movement, intelligence and understanding of major tournaments can make a difference when a game becomes stretched.

Interestingly, she has mainly been used as a substitute during this tournament, including against Ghana and Cape Verde. That could actually make her more dangerous.

Geneviève Ngo Mbeleck

The fifth name is Geneviève Ngo Mbeleck, another experienced player who can make life uncomfortable for Nigeria’s midfield.

Ngo Mbeleck started Cameroon’s first two group matches and was part of the side that defeated Ghana 1-0. She has also been involved in the team’s midfield work and has shown a willingness to compete physically.

With her, the Lionesses don’t need to dominate every match to win.

They can remain compact, compete for second balls and then use their attacking players when opportunities arise.

That was evident against Ghana, when Cameroon conceded possession but still managed to produce the decisive moment through Ngah.

So Nigeria cannot afford to assume that having more of the ball will automatically translate into chances.