Atlas Lionesses eliminated from Women's Africa Cup of Nations after penalty shootout loss to Cameroon

Morocco's women's national football team, the Atlas Lionesses, has been eliminated from the Women's Africa Cup of Nations hosted in Morocco. The team lost to Cameroon in a penalty shootout in the semifinals, ending their hopes of winning the continental title.

The tense semifinal match, held in Rabat, concluded with a 0-0 draw after both regulation time and extra time. The decisive moment came during the penalty shootout, where Cameroon emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline. A particularly heartbreaking moment for Morocco was a missed penalty in the 118th minute by Fatima Tagnaout, which could have secured their place in the final.

Despite the disappointment, the Atlas Lionesses had already secured qualification for the 2027 Women's World Cup. However, their journey in the continental tournament on home soil has come to an end.

Cameroon will now proceed to the final to face Malawi, who defeated Algeria in their semifinal match. The Atlas Lionesses depart the tournament with considerable disappointment after a hard-fought 120 minutes that ultimately hinged on the lottery of penalties.