WAFCON 2026: Cameroon beat Malawi 3-0 to claim first-ever continental crown

For decades, the trophy had remained agonizingly out of reach. Three finals. Three defeats. Zero goals scored. But on a balmy Sunday evening at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses finally rewrote their painful history, delivering a devastating first-half performance to defeat tournament debutants Malawi 3-0 and secure their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title.

The victory not only ended Cameroon’s long-running final jinx but also established the Central African nation as just the fourth country ever to win Africa’s premier women’s football competition, joining an elite list that includes record champions Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and South Africa. More significantly, Cameroon became only the third African nation—after Nigeria and South Africa—to win both the men’s and women’s Africa Cup of Nations titles, cementing their place as a true powerhouse of African football.

From the opening whistle, Cameroon made their intentions clear. The Lionesses attacked with relentless intensity, and their pressure paid off spectacularly in the 20th minute. A well-worked move into the Malawi box created chaos among the Scorchers’ defenders, and Marie Manga rose highest to power a close-range header past the Malawi goalkeeper, sending the Cameroonian supporters into raptures. Just nine minutes later, in the 29th minute, the lead was doubled through a moment of individual brilliance. Naomi Eto, who had been a constant threat throughout the tournament, received the ball with her back to goal, turned sharply, and unleashed a stunning volley that flew into the corner of the net, leaving the Malawi defense completely helpless.

READ ALSO:

• Police to prosecute Kogi man for allegedly setting wife ablaze
• NDLEA arrests businessman with cocaine, seizes N3.6bn drugs in Lagos
• Iran’s Army Chief Offers $30,000 Reward for Capturing or Killing US Troops

The crowning blow arrived in first-half stoppage time, deep into the 45th minute. Eto turned provider this time, delivering a perfectly weighted cross that found Manga unmarked in the box. The striker made no mistake, calmly slotting home her second goal of the night to make it 3-0. It was a scoreline that effectively ended the contest before the interval and sent the Lionesses into the dressing room with an unassailable lead.

Malawi, playing in their first-ever WAFCON final, showed far more urgency and attacking intent after the restart. The Scorchers looked to their star sisters, Temwa Chawinga and Tabitha Chawinga, for inspiration, and the duo tried desperately to engineer a comeback. Temwa, who had already scored five goals in the tournament to win the Golden Boot, was closely marshaled by Cameroon’s disciplined defense, while Tabitha’s creative runs were repeatedly snuffed out by the Lionesses’ well-organized backline. Goalkeeper Michaely Bihina, who would later be awarded the Golden Glove for her outstanding performances throughout the competition, stood tall between the posts, making crucial saves whenever Malawi threatened. Statistical data from the match showed Cameroon registered 14 shots with 6 on target, while Malawi managed 9 shots with 3 on target. The Lionesses also had a slight edge in corners, winning 6 to Malawi’s 3, underscoring their attacking dominance.

When the final whistle finally blew, the scenes were one of pure jubilation. Cameroonian players collapsed to the turf in tears of joy, while substitutes and coaching staff raced onto the pitch to join the celebrations. For a team that had suffered heartbreaking final defeats in 2004, 2014, and 2016—all at the hands of Nigeria—this triumph represented the ultimate redemption. The victory was especially sweet given that Cameroon had initially failed to qualify for this expanded 16-team tournament before being added based on their world ranking, making their journey to the title even more remarkable.

The post-tournament individual awards further highlighted Cameroon’s dominance. Monique Ngock, who delivered commanding performances in midfield throughout the competition, was deservedly named Player of the Tournament, while Bihina’s heroics between the posts earned her the Golden Glove award. Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga, despite her team’s defeat, finished as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, claiming the Golden Boot as a consolation for her remarkable individual campaign.

For Malawi, the tournament will forever be remembered as a historic breakthrough. The Scorchers, who entered the competition as the lowest-ranked team in the tournament at 153rd in the world, stunned defending champions Nigeria in the group stage before overcoming Ghana and Algeria in the knockout rounds to reach their maiden final. Their remarkable run also secured automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, a monumental achievement for a team that was playing in their very first WAFCON. Despite the final defeat, the Scorchers returned home as heroes, having captured the hearts of football fans across Africa.

The 2026 WAFCON concluded with Cameroon’s historic triumph bringing the curtain down on a memorable tournament. Algeria claimed the bronze medal after defeating hosts Morocco in the third-place playoff, but the night unequivocally belonged to the Indomitable Lionesses. As the trophy was lifted high above Rabat, it marked not just the end of a long wait, but the beginning of a new era for Cameroonian and African women’s football.

WAFCON 2026: Cameroon beat Malawi 3-0 to claim first-ever continental crown

Arsenal thrash Man City 3-0 to win Community Shield

Mikel Arteta’s side make history with fastest goal in 58 years as new signing Christos Tzolis stars with two assists in statement win over Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City

Arsenal produced one of the most dominant Community Shield performances in recent memory on Sunday, dismantling Manchester City 3-0 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff to claim their 18th Community Shield title and deliver an emphatic statement ahead of their Premier League title defence. The victory, which marks Arsenal’s fourth consecutive Community Shield win over City, was secured in devastating fashion—with goals inside the opening 28 minutes from Riccardo Calafiori, Kai Havertz, and captain Martin Ødegaard sealing the result before the hour mark. For new Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, it was a sobering introduction to competitive football in the post-Pep Guardiola era, as his side struggled to create meaningful chances against a ruthless Arsenal outfit that looked sharper, fitter, and more determined from the very first whistle.

Any lingering doubts about Arsenal’s readiness for the new campaign were extinguished within 23 seconds of kick-off. Myles Lewis-Skelly, deployed in an advanced midfield role by Arteta, produced a moment of sublime vision—splitting the Manchester City defence with a perfectly weighted through ball to Riccardo Calafiori. The Italian left-back, who joined Arsenal last summer, showed ice-cool composure to slot past Gianluigi Donnarumma, leaving the City goalkeeper with no chance. The goal is the fastest scored in the Community Shield since 1968, when Manchester City’s Tony Book netted after 15 seconds against West Bromwich Albion. It set the tone for a first-half masterclass that left City chasing shadows. “We wanted to start aggressively,” Calafiori told BBC Sport after the match. “The manager told us to press high and trust our quality. When Myles played that pass, I knew I had to finish it—and thankfully I did.”

READ ALSO:

• Ataoja Congratulates Adeleke on Osun Governorship Election Victory
• Tinubu Congratulates Adeleke, Says Osun Victory Affirms Nigeria’s Democratic Progress
• Breaking: Adeleke Crushes APC’s Oyebamiji, Wins Second Term in Osun

The story of the afternoon, however, belonged to Christos Tzolis. The £34 million summer signing from Club Brugge made his competitive debut for Arsenal and delivered a performance that will have fans dreaming of silverware. Tzolis’s first assist came in the 28th minute. Ødegaard floated a pinpoint cross to the far post, where the Greek winger out-jumped his marker to head the ball back across goal. Kai Havertz was perfectly positioned to nod home, with Donnarumma inadvertently helping the ball over the line—2-0 Arsenal. Three minutes into the second half, Tzolis turned provider again. He picked out Ødegaard with a clever pass, and the Norwegian captain produced a moment of magic—taking a delicate first touch to glide past Josko Gvardiol before wrong-footing Donnarumma and rolling the ball into an empty net for 3-0. Tzolis became the first player to register two assists in a Community Shield match since David Beckham in 1996—a remarkable achievement on his first competitive appearance for the club. “Christos was outstanding today,” Arteta said in his post-match press conference. “He’s settled in brilliantly and showed exactly why we brought him here. His creativity, his work rate—he’s going to be a huge player for us.”

For Manchester City, this was a stark reminder of the challenges ahead under Enzo Maresca. The Italian manager, who replaced the legendary Pep Guardiola after the Spaniard’s departure to the Brazil national team, watched his side struggle to impose themselves against a resolute Arsenal defence. David Raya was called into action only twice—denying Phil Foden with a sharp save in the 20th minute and later keeping out an effort from Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker, who won the Premier League Golden Boot with 27 goals last season, was rendered anonymous, managing just seven touches before being substituted in the 58th minute. City’s first competitive match without Guardiola in over a decade ended in their heaviest Community Shield defeat since 2014 (also 3-0 to Arsenal). The result represents the joint-heaviest loss for a Manchester City manager in his first game—a record previously held by Harry Newbould, who lost 4-1 to Arsenal in 1906. Maresca remained philosophical after the match: “We knew it would be difficult. Arsenal are champions for a reason. They were better than us in every department today—more aggressive, more clinical, more organised. We have work to do, but this is a long season.”

Martin Ødegaard, who was named Player of the Match for his influential performance, made it clear that Arsenal are aiming for more than just the Community Shield this season. “We showed our level today. We showed that we’re ready,” he told TNT Sports. “I think we showed that we’re serious—we want to do it again. When you get the taste of how nice it is, you want to do it again.” The captain also referenced Arsenal’s heartbreaking Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in May, which has fuelled the squad’s hunger for Europe’s biggest prize. “There’s more trophies to go for—that’s the aim,” Ødegaard added. “At this club, you want to win all of them. The Champions League is a big one, and we’re going to attack it.”

Arsenal will begin their Premier League title defence on Friday evening with a home fixture against Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium. Arteta will hope his side can carry this momentum into the league campaign, where they will face stiff competition from the chasing pack. Manchester City, meanwhile, face a quick turnaround. They open their Premier League season on Saturday against Brighton & Hove Albion—a fixture that now carries added significance as Maresca looks to restore confidence after this chastening defeat.

Arsenal thrash Man City 3-0 to win Community Shield

PSG Pocket £5.2m After Super Cup Thriller, Villa Get £3.4m

LEIPZIG: Paris Saint-Germain’s latest European triumph has come with a handsome financial reward, with the newly crowned UEFA Super Cup champions set to pocket £5.2 million after their thrilling 2-1 victory over Aston Villa.

The French champions edged Unai Emery’s Premier League side at the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday to retain the prestigious trophy and write their names into UEFA history.

PSG have now become only the third club ever to win the UEFA Super Cup in successive editions, joining European giants Real Madrid and AC Milan in achieving the feat.

The victory was secured by goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué, while Brian Madjo’s strike for Villa proved insufficient to prevent the Parisians from lifting another European trophy.

Beyond the silverware, however, PSG’s triumph has also delivered a substantial financial windfall.

READ ALSO:

• INEC reprints Osun ballot papers, result sheets, includes SDP candidate 
• FG to Attach 300 NYSC Corps Members to CNG Workshops for Skills Training
• Iran Had Detailed Intel on Trump’s Location Before Secret Turkey Escape

According to the Daily Mirror, Luis Enrique’s side will receive £4.3 million as the winners’ prize, in addition to a £900,000 victory bonus, taking their total earnings from the Super Cup to £5.2 million.

Aston Villa will not leave Leipzig empty-handed despite the defeat. The English club are expected to receive £3.4 million for reaching the final.

UEFA is expected to release the prize payments to both clubs on Friday, August 21.

For PSG, the Super Cup triumph adds another glittering chapter to an extraordinary period of European dominance.

Having already established themselves as a force in French football, the Parisians are increasingly turning their attention to conquering Europe, and Wednesday’s victory provided further evidence of their growing stature on the continental stage.

For Villa, the defeat was a painful end to their Super Cup adventure, but their £3.4 million payout offers some consolation after pushing the European champions all the way.

PSG Pocket £5.2m After Super Cup Thriller, Villa Get £3.4m