The 7th edition of the Fifa Women's World Cup is still ongoing in Canada, but Africa's representatives have already been sent packing
In this feature, Goal look back over the problems and positives highlighted by the African representatives at the Women's World Cup.
As the tournament is remembered in history, it will surely be remembered as another misadventure for African teams.
Three African nations went into the showpiece occasion with hopes of surging deep into the tournament; of the trio, only Cameroon succeeded in advancing beyond the group phase of the and into the knock-out rounds.
Nigeria very nearly made it as the second African team into the final 16 despite being drawn in the Group of Death. However, the Cote d'Ivoire had their baggage packed from their opening-game humiliation in the hands of the Germans.
Cote d'Ivoire
Cote d'Ivoire headed to Canada with hopes of a positive Women's World Cup on their first-ever appearance, but returned empty handed after group-stage elimination. In North America, the Ivorians were drawn with Germany and Norway as well as Thailand in GrouP B.
Coach Clementine Toure's achieved the passage to their debut world championship solely with players in the domestic league after a fine campaign at the 2014 African Women Championship.
They were thrashed 10-0 by Germany, but suffered a narrow 3-2 loss to Thailand before falling 3-1 to Norway in the final group match.
After conceding 16 goals, coach Toure blamed their disappointing campaign on the inadequate preparation and underdevelopment of women's football in the country.
"We have worked so hard to try to present a good image of Ivory Coast," Toure told the media.
"We wanted to do well in important matches like the one against Germany," she said.
"We arrived 72 hours before the game, and were very tired from a long journey of 15 hours and with jet lag.
Those are things that we would like to correct, to arrive earlier, and to play preparation games. We were unable to play friendly games, and this has hurt us.
"I want to make an appeal to not only our federation, but to all of Africa, that women's football has arrived.
"We believe in our women. We have a good team.
Today the Ivory Coast showed it deserves a place in the World Cup. But we also deserved to be better prepared. We didn't deserve to be humiliate
Cameroon
Cameroon’s outstanding performance on their first appearance in the tournament remains Africa's World Cup highlight.
After their first major tournament at the 2012 London
Olympics turned out badly-they were eliminated in the group stage conceding 15 goals-they steadily overcame their disappointment and focused on the positives.
Even after the premature exit of the African queens Nigeria and debutants Cote d’Ivoire, the Lionesses kept the continent’s hopes alive to become the second African side to reach the knockout stages.
Finishing as runners-up in a Group C, the 53rd-ranked African side failed to edge out the 1999 runners-up China in the second round.
Counting the gains above the defeat, coach Enow Ngachu said, "We are excited to qualify for the second round. Just the fact we are here will have a positive impact on Cameroon.
"We've received many messages on social media. Some teams have started to be created in Cameroon and we hope that many more will be created.
"Compared to Nigeria, Cameroon are a small team. We're not just representing Cameroon but carrying the colours of Africa.
After the Olympics we came back and had to work," the coach explained. "It's the same team that played in London, they've learned a lot and are still learning. We have a long way to go.
"This was a learning experience as our first appearance. We need to develop women’s football. We need good organisation and we also need to create as many clubs as possible.
"The day we prepare and organise very well, I think an African nation will one day win the World Cup. Some of players are very talented which is why they play outside of Africa.
"We just hope that with our performance many things will change things in Cameroon and in Africa," he concluded. The Cameroonians became the first African team to win their opening Women's World Cup game, while striker Gaelle Enganamouit netted a memorable hat-trick.
Nigeria
Nigeria’s failure at the global showpiece was clearly forecasted even before they left the country.
After winning seven of the nine African championships, and featuring in every World Cup since 1991, there was reason for some quiet optimism, but the women's side-who have only ever advanced from the group stage once-were unable to manage it this time.
Despite an experience and youthful squad, the Super Falcons only showed glimpses of their potential in an impressive comeback from two goals behind to draw 3-3 in their opening against Sweden.
But thereafter, they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat to Australia and 1-0 reverse against the United States to finish bottom of Group D, a successive defeat which coach Edwin Okon blamed on loss of concentration.
"I don't think they (USA) were very good -- it was a lack of concentration on our part from our defence," said Okon who would have hoped for a better cheering outcome.
"We just have to go home and think of what went wrong," the Nigerian coach said. The African champions largely failed to fare better due to poor preparatory planning, insufficient technical support to the coaches,
poor welfare and the terrible state of the domestic league.
There were moments of excellence during the women's showpiece in Canada, but ultimately, regrettably, the continent's trio largely failed to deliver on any optimism that may have accompanied their tournament preparations.
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