Back with a Bang: Indomitable Lionesses Silence Morocco in Casablanca Friendly

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

BUEA, Cameroon – The Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon have bounced back to winning ways with a narrow but confidence-boosting 1-0 victory over Morocco in a high-profile international friendly played at the Pere Jego Stadium in Casablanca on Tuesday.

It was the first encounter between the two sides since 2021 when the Moroccans handed Cameroon a painful defeat in another friendly. This time, the Lionesses showed resilience and grit as they edged the North African giants in a game that marked their return to international football after over a year of inactivity.

The crucial encounter presented an opportunity for coach Jean Baptiste Bisseck to write a new chapter after his squad failed to qualify for two of the world's most prestigious tournaments – the 2024 WAFCON and 2024 Paris Olympics. This was also the first time that Cameroon played a game in over a year since they last did so against Nigeria in Olympic qualifies in February last year.

Coach Jean Baptiste Bisseck, under pressure to spark a revival after the team failed to qualify for both the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, saw his charges rise to the occasion. Their last outing had been in February 2024 during Olympic qualifiers against Nigeria.

From the first whistle, Cameroon looked determined, putting Morocco on the back foot. Naomi Eto thought she had given Cameroon an early lead, only to see her effort ruled out for offside. The breakthrough would come minutes later as veteran forward Gabriel Aboudi found the net in the 23rd minute with a composed finish.

This goal galvanized the girls who went in search of the second goal. Captain Aboudi, Nchout Ajara, and Abega Berth all had opportunities but the finishing was lacking as Cameroon headed into the break with a slender 1-0 lead.

The second half was also as entertaining as the first, with the Indomitable Lionesses, continuing their dominance but for the fact that the second goal was lacking. Morocco who had earlier defeated their Tunisian counterparts 3-1 had a glimpse of opportunities but could not find the equalizer as Cameroon held on for the victory.

Following this victory, Cameroon is set to clash with Algeria in the second round of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in October. This meeting will be the first international competitive game for the Indomitable Lionesses as the side will hope to put the misery behind them that saw the side not qualify for the AWCON for the first time in thirty years.

For Morocco, this encounter was an essential part of the side’s preparations for the upcoming Africa Women's Cup of Nations (AWCON), set to take place from July 5 to 26, 2025.