The Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon U17 suffered a defeat against Italy in the opening match of the women's futsal tournament at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
A tough start for the Indomitable Lionesses U17. The team coached by Mimosette Josephine Ndoumou faced Italy last Sunday, losing 4-2, with a hat-trick from promising player Miriam Melfi. This achievement allowed the "Azzurri" to get off to a strong start in the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
Right from the kickoff of the first half, Melfi opened the scoring for the Squadra Azzurra. During the second half, the forward confirmed her talent by adding two more goals, extending the Italian team's lead to four goals.
In the final minutes of the match, Cameroon intensified their play and managed to narrow the gap with two goals. However, Melfi and her teammates held off the Cameroonian pressure to secure their 4-2 victory.
The Indomitable Lionesses need to regroup for their next match on Tuesday against Iran before facing Costa Rica on November 5.
The Dakar Youth Olympic Games were officially inaugurated on October 31 with a ceremony celebrating African culture, the creativity of youth, and Olympic values at the Abdoulaye Wade Stadium in Diamniadio. This 14-day competition, the first of its kind, brings together over 1,100 artists and performers.
