She’s a monster — 22-year-old goalkeeper who shattered Nigeria leaves Morocco in tears with 4 penalty saves

Just days after entirely shattering Nigerian hearts in the quarterfinals, Cameroon’s spectacular 22-year-old goalkeeper, Michaely Bihina, has added host nation Morocco to her growing casualty list in one of the most nerve-shredding matches in African football history.

The Indomitable Lionesses secured their ticket to the WAFCON 2026 final on Wednesday night, defeating the hosts 3-1 in a brutal penalty shootout following an intense, goalless 120-minute war at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium.

But the undisputed headline belongs to Bihina. The young shot-stopper claimed back-to-back Woman of the Match accolades after pulling off four mind-blowing penalty stops on the night, breaking a historic tournament hoodoo that has plagued Cameroon for decades.

Here are the 5 major talking points from a night of absolute ecstasy for Cameroon and pure, unadulterated heartbreak for Morocco:

With both heavyweight teams locked in a physical, defensive stalemate through regular time, the match looked destined for spot-kicks. 

However, the stadium erupted in the 118th minute when Morocco were awarded a golden, late penalty. 

Moroccan icon Fatima Tagnaout stepped up with the hopes of an entire nation on her shoulders, but Bihina produced a stunning, athletic save to deny her in normal time, handing Cameroon a dramatic, life-saving reprieve.

DON'T MISS THIS — LALIGA REVOLUTION UNLEASHED: Before tracking Cameroon's final opponents, find out why the brand-new 2026/27 Spanish season is being dominated by a record 24 World Cup finalists. 

Historically, penalty shootouts have been a horror show for Cameroon, who had lost all three of their previous tournament shootouts, including a painful exit to Nigeria back in 2018. 

Conversely, Morocco were considered the undisputed masters from 12 yards, having won their last two WAFCON semifinals on spot-kicks. 

Yet, Bihina completely flipped the script, single-handedly destroying Morocco's psychological edge when it mattered most.

While Cameroon’s Marie Ngah, Rose Bella, and Myriam Nyadjou coolly converted their penalties with clinical composure, the pressure completely paralysed the hosts. 

Hanane Ait El Haj scored Morocco's opener, but Kenza Chapelle, Meryem Atiq, and Sakina Ouzraoui all saw their subsequent efforts spectacularly denied or sent off-target, sparking absolute silence among the thousands of passionate home fans in Rabat.

DON'T MISS THIS — ‘Do not sell him!’ — Manchester United fans in absolute disbelief after 9-goal thriller against Leeds

Morocco’s Spanish manager, Jorge Vilda, tried everything to inject life into his side, making aggressive second-half substitutions by withdrawing star attackers Ibtissam Jraidi and Nouhaila Badri. 

However, Cameroon's defensive unit remained incredibly organised, compact, and completely disciplined. 

They frustrated the Moroccan wingers and continually forced the game into physical battles that perfectly suited the central African side.

By eliminating 10-time champions Nigeria and host nation Morocco in back-to-back, decisive knockout fixtures, this rising generation of Cameroonian stars has done the unthinkable. 

The Indomitable Lionesses are now exactly 90 minutes away from lifting their first-ever continental trophy, proving that the old hierarchy of African women's football has been completely demolished.