\n<\/p>\n
While the first Wafcon semi-final was littered with chances and incident, Wednesday’s late game in the capital was a far tighter affair.<\/p>\n
Morocco created little to reflect their dominance of the ball against an organised and disciplined Cameroon side who grew in confidence in the latter stages of the second half.<\/p>\n
The Atlas Lionesses came close to an opener in the 14th minute when Sanaa Mssoudy diverted Hanane Ait El Haj’s right-wing cross against the right-hand upright, and the forward also thrashed into the side-netting on the hour mark.<\/p>\n
A flurry of late chances came at the end of regulation time, with Imane Saoud shooting straight at Bihina, Mssoudy heading wide and Michaela Abam firing over the Morocco bar.<\/p>\n
Abam then had a shot blocked towards the end of the first period of extra time and Morocco defender Maryame Atiq headed over in the second half.<\/p>\n
The match’s key incident came right at the end of extra time when Morocco were presented with a glorious chance to win the tie following a video assistant referee (VAR) review, with Togolese official Vincentia Amedome deciding Nyadjou had caught Ouzraoui in the face with her arm.<\/p>\n
Ait El Haj had converted from the spot in the quarter-final win over South Africa but substitute Tagnaout assumed responsibilities and the winger’s tame left-footed effort was palmed away by Bihina.<\/p>\n
There were better saves to follow by the Cameroon keeper, who plays in her homeland for Benfica and had previously made a remarkable nine saves in her side’s quarter-final upset against 10-time champions Nigeria.<\/p>\n
Chappelle put her effort too close to Bihina but two stunning stops followed to deny Atiq and Ouzraoui.<\/p>\n
Khadija Er-Rmichi had kept her side in the shootout by saving an effort from Grace Mendoua, but the Morocco keeper had little answer to Bihina’s heroics.<\/p>\n
A semi-final defeat comes as a big blow to Morocco, who have invested heavily in football in recent years and hired Spain’s Women’s World Cup winning manager Jorge Vilda in an attempt to claim a maiden continental crown.<\/p>\n
The Atlas Lionesses were runners-up in 2022 and reached the final of the delayed 2024 Wafcon last July, but threw away a 2-0 half-time lead against Nigeria<\/a> and were forced to settle for second place again.<\/p>\n