Cameroon's Myriam Maeva Nyadjou key to Indomitable Lionesses' shot at WAFCON glory

It all began on August 9, at the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca, against Nigeria, the defending champions and 10-time African title holders. The match started badly for the Indomitable Lionesses: in just the second minute, Rasheedat Ajibade already forced Michaely Bihina into a save.

Nigeria dominated the game, with 62% possession and eight shots on target throughout the match. But in the 20th minute, from a wide free-kick at the edge of the box, Nyadjou changed the course of the match: a powerful strike with the instep that flew into the top corner, out of reach for Chiamaka Nnadozie, one of the continent’s best goalkeepers.

Cameroon led 1-0 and then had to hold on for over 70 minutes against relentless Nigerian attacks, right up to a final scare in stoppage time: in the 90+4th minute, Esther Okoronkwo almost equalised after outpacing the Cameroonian defence. The score would not change.

This goal sent Cameroon into the semi-finals and at the same time secured their qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. For Nyadjou, it meant much more than just sport.

"When that ball leaves, it’s not just the foot striking: it’s the heart and all the pent-up rage," she said, recalling years of doubts and disappointments against the Super Falcons, to whom Cameroon had lost 12 of their previous 14 AFCON matches. 

"That strike was a real relief. A way of saying: enough, this time it’s us."

She’s especially aware of its impact on the team: "Some shots are just worth a goal, and others free an entire group and bring a smile back to a whole nation. That one was pure deliverance."

Ice-cold composure against Morocco

Three days later, another date with history, this time in Rabat, against the host nation Morocco. Morocco started strong: in the second minute, a cross from Hanane Ait El Haj forced Bihina to punch clear in front of Sanaa Mssoudy, who would later hit the post with a header in the first half.

But Cameroon held firm, led by an unbreakable central pairing of Nyadjou and Easther Mayi Kith: not a single goal conceded from open play when the two defenders have started together since the beginning of the tournament.

The 120 minutes of regulation time weren’t enough to separate the teams, and the turning point came in the 118th minute: Fatima Tagnaout, who had qualification at her feet from the penalty spot, was denied by Bihina.

It went to a penalty shootout, a long-standing curse for the Indomitable Lionesses, who had lost their previous three AFCON shootouts in 1998, 2008, and 2018.

Bihina turned into a wall, saving three Moroccan attempts, while Cameroon converted three of their four penalties, through Marie Ngah, Rose Bella, and then Nyadjou, who scored the decisive shot into the top corner to send Cameroon to the final, 3-1 on penalties. At 19, the young defender had enough composure to tease Morocco with her celebration afterwards.

This rapid rise is no accident. Born on October 14, 2006, she never left the Cameroonian league to develop, unlike many of her teammates who moved to Europe. Spotted at Green City in the second division, she joined the top flight in October 2022, at just 15, signing with newly promoted AS Fortuna.

She hadn’t even celebrated her 16th birthday yet. After establishing herself among the country’s best players, she joined Amazone FAP, the police and army club in Yaounde, which became her springboard to the national team.

U20 captain and serial goalscorer

On the pitch, she stands out for her versatility: central defender, full-back, or holding midfielder, she impresses with her reading of the game and the quality of her right foot. This quality first made waves at youth level.

Captain of the U20 Lionesses despite having older teammates, she scored five goals in six matches during the U20 World Cup qualifying campaign, a rare stat for a defender. The coaching staff already praised her calmness in the locker room and her natural authority, two qualities that partly explain her rapid rise.

Her maturity was also forged in unusual circumstances. Under coach Hassan Balla, the U20 Lionesses played numerous friendlies against boys’ teams to raise their level, and Nyadjou confirmed her scoring instinct there.

On July 31, 2025, she scored one of Cameroon’s three goals in a 3-2 win over the U17 boys from the AS Abou academy. On February 1, 2026, she was decisive again in a spectacular 4-4 draw against the U17 boys from Royal Sport Academy de Mfou.

Then, on April 24, 2026, she netted Cameroon’s only goal in a 4-1 defeat to the AS Gradi boys’ academy, in a friendly preparing for the double-header against Tanzania in the fourth qualifying round for the U20 World Cup Poland 2026. 

Many of her goals have come from set pieces: it’s her trademark. Despite being a defender, she started her career as a striker and puts special effort into this skill, always staying after training to practice her mid-range shots, as her coach at Green City recalled.

Only Cameroonian player to have played every minute

Her integration into the senior team followed the same pace. First called up in April 2025 for a friendly against Morocco, she made her first start on October 23, 2025, against Algeria in AFCON qualifiers.

In just a few months, she established herself in the Indomitable Lionesses’ starting 11, to the point that she is now the only Cameroonian player to have played every minute since the start of the tournament.

Her coach, Valentine Nguele, praised the maturity of a group where experience is passed down between generations: "The experienced players made it easier for the younger ones to settle in by explaining the demands of international level, team discipline, and the values of the jersey."

A philosophy that Nyadjou now embodies more than anyone.

Asked after the win over Nigeria, she was already looking ahead: "We can press the next button, always with humility," she said.

It’s a button she presses at every stage, adding her own touch, helping Cameroon reach an AFCON final for the first time since 2016.

Third time lucky? Having been decisive in the Lionesses’ last two matches, Nyadjou now dreams of finally helping her team lift the continental trophy after three previous final defeats.

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