WAFCON 2022 Roundup: Morocco, Senegal off to winning start, Tunisia pummel debutants Togo

As teams in Groups A and B will now look to prepare for their next round of matches on the 5th and 6th of July, the likes of Burkina Faso, Uganda and Togo will hope that they don’t make the same errors that see them trailing early in the competition.

Here is a quick round up of the first four matches at the WAFCON.

At the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex, the hosts Morocco defeated a valiant Burkina Faso 1-0 in a hard-fought match.

The Atlas Lionesses had to work hard for their victory in Group A’s opening match of the competition, and managed to do it thanks to captain Ghizlane Chebbak’s free-kick goal in the 29th minute.

Following their victory, the Atlas Lionesses sit in second place, with Burkina Faso in third.

Sunday’s first fixture saw the Teranga Lionesses beat the Ugandans after scoring a goal in each half.

Diakhate Ndeye opened the scoring for the Senegalese with a penalty in the 39th minute, after Tunisian referee Dorsaf Ganouati pointed to the spot, following a foul on Senegal’s 16-year-old striker Hapsatou Diallo.

Senegal doubled their lead through Nguenar Ndiaye five minutes after the break, enough to see them go top of Group A, leapfrogging Morocco. Lionesses goalkeeper, Tenning Sene was named the woman of the match.

Group B’s opener between Cameroon and Zambia was a tale of missed opportunities, as both giants had to settle for one point on Sunday.

The fixture at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca was a grudge match as Zambia had denied the Cameroonians a place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, however, it was not the Cameroonians’ day to get their pound of flesh.

0-0 it ended at full-time, with both sides settling for a point each.

Three goals in the first 45 minutes of the game between Tunisia and debutants Togo spurred a 5-goal thriller at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca and a 4-1 victory for the Tunisians.

A sumptuous chip from Mariem Hoiuj in the first 17 seconds of the game got the Carthage Eagles going before Sabrine Ellouzi doubled their lead, eleven minutes later.

Odette Gnintegma then pulled one back for Togo: their first-ever WAFCON goal, in the 22nd minute after Namibian referee Antsino Twanyanyukwa awarded them a penalty.

However, the Tunisians came back even stronger in the second half as a brace from Ellouzi and an Amouklou Ame’s own goal sealed the game to send Tunisia to the top of Group B.