U20 Women's World Cup: Cameroon begins camping ahead of Niger qualifiers.

The U20 Lionesses flagged off the window at the CAF Technical Center in Mbankomo in the outskirt of Yaounde last Friday. 

The series which assembles 29 players, is expected to roundup up on Sunday August 3.

The U20 Lionesses are programmed to face Niger on September 19 and 26 in the second round of the African regional qualifiers to the 2026 U20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next year.

Two days after opening their camping in Mbankomo, the U20 Lionesses defeated their U17 Lionesses counterpart on Sunday July 27 in a test match organized at the CAF Technical Centre following goals fro Amazone FAP defender, Maeva Nyadjou and fellow defender Adele Dourga of Awa Filles.

The U17 Lionesses who are gearing to participate in the forthcoming 2025 U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, got their lone goal through Caiman Football Filles of Douala’s Beatrice Avana. 

Enter Hassan Balla’s 29-lady roster

The 29 players summoned by interim trainer Hassan Balla for the Niger fixture is dominated by mostly inexperienced players. Only three of the players who represented Cameroon in the 2024 U20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia last year is named in the roster. 

Twenty seven of the 29 players ply their trade for teams competing in the women’s first division football championship, the Guinness Super League. The contingent includes four goalkeepers, ten defenders, eight midfielders and seven attackers.

The goalkeeping lineup is headlined by Ita Mbong Football Club of Nkambe skipper, Glory Asonyu. It also includes Ngole Chelsea of Louves MINPROFF, Amazone FAP’s Ngah Calixte Chantal and Maelle Kesse Mbelle from Vision Foot. Ngah and Ngole were part of the Colombia expedition last year.

The defense is made up of Amazone FAP duo, Yemdji Syndy Sky and Nyadjou Maeva, Éclair Filles pair of Linho Elwin Kuate and Daniela Ida Happi, Vision Foot’s contingent, Patricia Veronique Meguina and Djontu Gladiss as well as Sandra Bloda from Ita Mbong FC of Nkambe. 

Authentic Ladies’ Som Nathalia, Bitada Suzy Laila from Louves MINPROFF, and Diane Dourga Maimonga Isabelle of Awa Filles complete the field.

Dourga Maimonga whose Awa Filles team was relegated from the Guinness Super League at the close of the recent 2024/2025 season, is one of the two players who have been drafted from the second division.

Antoinette Shy from Ita Mbong leads the list of midfielders. Other players in the category include Victoire Divawissa Todou and Toguen Shine Daniella both from 2023/2024 Guinness Super League champions, FC Ebolowa and the duo of Mvondo Olama and Mole Nzie Marie France of Dja Sport. 

The midfield contingent is completed by Tsimi Aurore and Beverly Chloe Nimpa Lontsi, both from Louves MINPROFF and FC Ebolowa’s Mekoua Assako Rachou.

The list of seven attackers is headlined by Marie Princesse of Cyclone Football Club. 

The youngster is accompanied by Effa Essomba Dorothy, Ngo Bilong Andree Melgride and Bibene Nguini Loana Horthense Asmaou from Vision Foot, Authentic Ladies and Dja Sports respectively. 

The list of attackers is completed by Souaibou Asmaou of Caiman Filles, Son Mouen Annete Gloria of Louves MINPROFF and Ernestine Heutchou of Éclair Filles.

By Sharron Ewoukem, Journalism student on internship

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3518 of Tuesday July 29, 2025