Goalkeeper Michaely Bihina has emerged as the standout performer of the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, with her penalty-saving exploits propelling Cameroon into the tournament final for the first time since 2016.
The 22-year-old Benfica keeper has drawn widespread praise across Cameroon, with some supporters even calling for a statue to be erected in her honour after a string of outstanding displays. She was named player of the match in both the quarter-final victory over Nigeria and the semi-final triumph against hosts Morocco, cementing her status as one of the standout figures of the competition.
Cameroon's run to the final was built on a defence anchored by Bihina, who has kept three clean sheets in five matches at the tournament. Her most remarkable performance came against Nigeria in the quarter-finals, where she made nine saves — a new record for the most saves in a single match at the Wafcon finals. That win eliminated the defending champions and secured Cameroon's qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, a landmark achievement for the Indomitable Lionesses.
Bihina described the victory as a defining moment for the national team. "Playing in my first Wafcon and being able to beat Nigeria and qualify for the World Cup is historic," she told the Confederation of African Football. "I am so excited and happy that as a team we have achieved this. We had an objective — to change the history of our national team against Nigeria."
Her heroics continued in the semi-final against Morocco in Rabat, a tightly contested affair that produced few scoring chances before extra time. With the match still level deep into the additional 30 minutes, Cameroon defender Maryam Nyadjou was penalised for handling the ball against Sakina Ouzraoui, gifting the Atlas Lionesses a penalty in the 118th minute. Fatima Tagnaout stepped up to take it, but Bihina guessed correctly, diving to her right to keep the effort out and force the tie into a shootout.
That save set the tone for what followed. Bihina denied Kenza Chapelle, Maryame Atiq and Ouzraoui in the shootout, guiding Cameroon to a 3-1 win on penalties and a place in Sunday's final. In total, she saved four penalties across the match — one during extra time and three more in the shootout.
"When I saved the first penalty during the game, I said inside my mind if we go to penalties I think I can do more," Bihina explained. "I have to catch minimum three penalties." She revealed that meticulous preparation played a key role in her success, adding, "I studied the penalties of Morocco girls during all the competition."
Speaking to the BBC World Service after the semi-final, Bihina reflected on the significance of reaching the final for her generation of players. "I'm very happy and full of emotions because for our generation it's the first time to play the final," she said. "We thank all the people who support us."
Cameroon have suffered heartbreak in three previous Wafcon finals, all defeats to Nigeria in 2004, 2014 and 2016. This time, they will face a different opponent when they meet debutants Malawi for the title on Sunday at 19:00 GMT, aiming to finally claim the continental crown that has eluded them.
Bihina's performances have placed her among the leading candidates for player of the tournament, alongside Malawi's Chawinga sisters. Temwa Chawinga currently tops the goalscoring charts with five goals and two assists, while her sister Tabitha has contributed four goals during the competition.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.