Cape Verde close out maiden WAFCON appearance with draw against Cameroon

[p]There was nothing at stake between [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cameroon/zk1uVG2D/"]Cameroon[/a], who were guaranteed to finish top of Group D, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/MocyWdm7/"]Cape Verde[/a], who had already been eliminated. At the end of a lively match, the two sides claimed a point each, much to the delight of the Blue Sharks, who secured their very first point at an Africa Cup of Nations (1-1). [/p][p]As expected, the Indomitable Lionesses took control of the match and came close to opening the scoring as early as the 12th minute.[/p][p]Following a quick counter-attack launched after winning the ball back in their own half, Cameroon drove forward. Montauban player [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aretouyap-fadimatou/6ukPckcK/"]Fadimatou Aretouyap[/a] played the ball back to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/beulou-brunelle/UcR9ylyn/"]Brunelle Beulou[/a], whose shot was deflected by Cape Verdean captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/da-luz-varsenia/xUDIyrle/"]Varsenia da Luz[/a] and struck [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/silva-lara/YZVjNrZ1/"]Lara Silva[/a]’s right-hand post. [/p][p]The Blue Sharks were largely on the back foot, forced to defend deep in their own half. And at the 10th attempt, Cameroon found the net. Following a throw-in near the edge of the box, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eto-naomi/YeZgXA8U/"]Naomi Ndjoah Eto[/a] crossed towards [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mendoua-grace/E1eREXgl/"]Grace Mendoua[/a], [b]who had time to control the ball and wait for the rebound before unleashing an unstoppable, powerful shot[/b]. [/p][p]Cape Verde finished the first half on a higher note, although this consisted of a scramble between two players and goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/biya-catherine/KlkYohnR/"]Catherine Biya[/a] , who had come out to the edge of her box, followed by a free-kick from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pereira-evy/dQlm2wJt/"]Evy Pereira[/a] that sailed over the bar.[/p][p][b]And shortly after the break, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moreira-ivania/QmTvhsdU/"]Ivania Moreira[/a] broke down the left flank before curling a gem into the far top corner.[/b] [/p][embed guid="6b446d0e-f6d9-4292-8c5d-bbc593da7d88" url="https://x.com/CAFwomen/status/2085483671264313582" social-type="twitter" /][p]The Lionesses reacted quickly but lacked either power or precision - as with a second-ball opportunity following a corner that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/voulania-claudia/hxoLbVsE/"]Claudia Voulania[/a] failed to keep on target (59th minute) - or because Silva deflected a cross from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/onguene-gabrielle/AuWSgs8r/"]Gabrielle Onguene[/a] at the last moment. [/p][p]From a free-kick out wide, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ndzana-feg-kollet/tbnubSPE/"]Collete Ndzana[/a] sent a long ball into the box and, on the rebound, substitute [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/abam-michaela/Y5RzXWEc/"]Michaela Abam[/a] found enough space to slot a right-footed shot into the back of the net. The joy was short-lived: following a VAR review, the goal was disallowed for a previous Cameroonian foul. [/p][p]Ndjoah Eto had a chance to seal the match on the stroke of stoppage time, but Silva came out on top in their one-on-one. The goalkeeper then saved a shot from Beulou. Shortly afterwards, it was Biya who shone, tipping an attemptby [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kelly-alivia/YFDaSCzp/"]Alivia Kelly[/a] from the edge of the box over the bar. [/p][p]In the quarter-finals, Cameroon will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nigeria/EBE2Xb3l/"]Nigeria[/a] in a real clash of the titans. For Cape Verde, this is a historic achievement in the Blue Sharks’ first appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations, just eight years after the women’s national team was formed. [/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/cameroon-GjLfzCAQ/cape-verde-6aOchpuH/?mid=Qqgm7WmD"]View the match stats on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p][infobox id="89d8dac9-56aa-4b5e-897b-9c5da03c43e1" /]