Women's World Volleyball Championships: Cameroon completes challenging campaign with loss to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian team which was making just its second appearance in the final phase of the competition outsmarted the Lionesses 25-17, 25-21 and 25-20 across the first, second and third sets of the fixture.

Cameroon headed to the fixture hoping to outclass the Ukrainians. The team hoped to end the campaign in a promising mood following its premature elimination at the end of back-to-back defeats to Serbia and Japan in the three-game group stage series.

Japan handed Cameroon 3-0 sets spanking in its first game before defending champions, Serbia, outsmarted the Volleyball Lionesses by the same score to send the three-time African champions packing.

Trainer blames poor showing on lack of experience

Speaking in a mid-game interview during the Ukraine match yesterday, the head coach of the Volleyball Lionesses team, Paulo de Tarso Milagres, blamed the poor performance on the lack of experience. 

“It is clear how the lack of experience can make the difference. Even when we are winning, they don’t believe that we can. And this is the kind of mentality that we are trying to challenge,” the Brazilian tactician said.

He added that: “I am proud of the team but it takes time to change the mentality. I told them at the start of the match that it is our last chance so let us just have fun. I told them to forget about the score and play without any responsibility”.

Cameroon upholds poor run in World Championships

The run of losing all three matches in Thailand to finish the campaign rock-bottom in Group H means Cameroon has failed to win a game in the final phase of the World Championships for the second successive time. 

Cameroon recorded the same result during the 2022 edition of the global competition where it concluded its journey sitting 24th on the final general standing of the then 24-team showpiece.

Cameroon which has now participated in the final phase of the competition five times, last won a game in the event in September 2018. 

Cameroon has never made it pass the group phase of the Women’s World Championships since it made it debut in the competition in 2006.