WOMEN
Commercial Bank of Ethiopia win CECAFA Women’s Champions League 2024 title
Commercial Bank of Ethiopia WFC are the champions of the CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifier 2024.
After losing at the final twice, coach Birhanu Gizaw Heye’s team this time made it count when they defeated Kenya Police Bullets 1-0 in the final played at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa on Thursday.
The tournament’s top scorer Senaf Wakuma Zenaf Demise netted the lone goal after 79 minutes after her team had dominated play from kick-off. The Kenyan side who were making their debut in the tournament resorted to a defensive approach as the CBE team piled more and more pressure.
The pressure paid off for the home side with several passes exchanged before Zenaf Demise placed the ball past Kenya Police Bullets goalkeeper Annedy Kundu Kwamasi.
It was all celebrations after the final whistle as the home fans celebrated CBE’s win. In 2021 CBE lost in the final to Vihiga Queens of Kenya, and last year suffered another defeat to Tanzania’s JKT Queens in the final played in Uganda.
“I am very happy that finally we have lifted this trophy in-front of our fans in Addis Ababa. I thank the players and the management of the team for the hard work,” said a happy coach Heye after the match.
The goal scorer Zenaf Demise who finished with six goals said she was very happy that she scored many goals that helped her team win the Cup. “We are very happy and we shall celebrate this trophy for a long time,” added the striker.
In the earlier play-off match to determine which team finishes third Kawempe Muslim Ladies defeated 2022 champions Simba Queens (Tanzania) 2-0. Sumayah Nabuto and Agnes Nabukenya netted the goals.
The final was graced by Souleiman Hassan Waberi, the third Vice President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), CAF Exco member and Ethiopia Football Federation President Isayas Jira, the CECAFA President and also President of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Wallace Karia. The Burundi Football Federation president Alexandre Muyenge, Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) President Moses Hassim Magogo, Football Kenya Federation Vice President and CECAFA Exco member Doris Petra, and CAF head of Women’s Football, Meskerem Tadesse Goshime was also in attendance.
The tournament attracted eight teams from Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Djibouti, South Sudan, Kenya and Rwanda.
Awards
Fair-Play trophy – Simba Queens (Tanzania)
Best Coach – Beldine Odembe (Kenya Police Bullets, Kenya)
Best Goalkeeper – Annedy Kundu (Kenya Police Bullets, Kenya)
Top scorer – Demise Zenaf Senaf Wakuma (CBE, Ethiopia)
Best Player – Mesay Temesgen Tanga (CBE, Ethiopia)
Ethiopian coach Asefa Firew Hailegebreal has guided Kampala Queens FC to the 2024/25 FUFA Women Super League title.
The former head coach of Ethiopia’s national women’s team told cecafaonline.com that he is very happy to guide Kampala Queens FC to recapture the title.
Kampala Queens FC were officially crowned champions after their last League match that ended 1-1 against She Maroons at the Phillip Omondi Stadium on Tuesday.
Hailegebreal’s team finished top with 49 points from 22 matches played. They won 14 matches, settled for seven draws and lost only one match. The 2023/2024 champions Kawempe Muslims FC settled for second place with 45 points.
“It has been hard work since I joined the team late last year. I am very happy that the players have worked so hard and we have been able to achieve this as a team,” says Hailegebreal.
He made it clear that there is still a lot of work to be done so that the team prepares well ahead of the new season and also be in good shape for the CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifiers.
“We need to prepare a must stronger team that can also compete strongly at the continental stage,” added Hailegebreal.
Kampala Queens FC formed in 2016 had previously lifted the 2022/2023 FUFA Women Super League title.
Twiga Stars have defeated the DR Congo women’s national team 3-1 in a second International friendly match played at the Azam Complex on Tuesday evening.
The Tanzanian women’s national team who picked a 2-1 victory in the first match played a few days ago where a much more hungry side as they attacked in numbers.
Mexico based forward and skipper Opa Clemet gave Twiga Stars the lead, and Julieth Singano made it 2-0. Clara Luvanga who netted a brace in the first match also got her name on the score line. The visiting DR Congo side pulled a goal back few minutes to full time.
The two teams used the two International friendly matches to prepare ahead of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2025 that starts next month in Morocco.
Bakari Shime, the Twiga Stars head coach said he was happy that the team had got chance to play International matches which have given him opportunity to test the players.
Twiga Stars will also have the opportunity to prepare better when they participate in the CECAFA Women’s Senior Championship slated for June 12-22nd in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The CECAFA Senior Women’s Championship will take place June 12-22nd, 2025 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Yusuf Mossi, the Competitions Director of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) says it was decided that the competition takes place before the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) next month.
“The competition with help our representatives to the WAFCON Tanzania prepare better and the other teams also prepare for the WAFCON 2026 qualifiers which resume in October this year,” added Mossi.
He made it clear that already hosts Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan have confirmed participation, while more teams are expected to confirm in the next few days.
After the Women’s Senior Championship, the inaugural CECAFA Beach Soccer Championship will take place July 7-12th in Mombasa, Kenya.
The other competitions that CECAFA will organize in 2025 include; the CAF Women’s Club Champions League CECAFA qualifiers (Tanzania), Dar Port Kagame Cup (Tanzania), AFCON U-17 CECAFA qualifiers (Ethiopia) and the CAF African Schools Football Championship CECAFA qualifiers.
The CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup and the CECAFA U-20 Women’s Championship will not be held this year.
2025 calendar
CECAFA Senior Women’s Championship (June 12-22, Tanzania)
CECAFA Beach Soccer Championship (July 7-12th, Kenya)
CAF Women’s Clubs Champions League CECAFA Qualifiers (September 3-19th, Tanzania)
Dar Port Kagame Cup 2025 (September 13- 27, Tanzania) AFCON U-17 CECAFA Qualifiers 2026 (November 15-30th, Ethiopia)
African Schools Football Championship CECAFA Qualifiers (December 1-5th)
Kenya’s Harambee Starlets will travel to Morocco on Sunday evening ahead of an international friendly against the hosts.
The team handled by Beldine Odemba will face the 60th FIFA Women’s World ranked team on June 4th.
While Morocco will use the international friendly match to prepare ahead of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), Kenya will use the match to also prepare for the CECAFA Women’s Senior Challenge Cup and 2026 WAFCON qualifier tie against The Gambia in October.
Skipper Dorcas Shikobe will make her comeback for the Kenyan team after missing the camp held in Ivory Coast in April.
Meanwhile, the national Women’s team of Tanzania, Twiga Stars will return to action against DR Congo in a second international friendly on June 3rd at the Azam Complex. Tanzania beat DR Congo 2-1 in the first friendly played on May 30th at the same venue.
-
CECAFA10 years agoBotswana beats Kenya in African Youth Championships
-
CAF African Nations Championship9 months agoAfrican Nations Championship 2025 dates announced
-
Top stories5 years agoWe need to win the first match against Coronavirus – Infantino
-
NEWS4 years agoFIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers: Eritrea ejects Djibouti 6-1 on aggregate
-
NEWS4 years agoYoung Africans SC face Nyasa Big Bullets in CECAFA Kagame Cup kick-off
-
CAF Champions League2 years agoTanzania’s Simba Sports Club exit CAF Champions League at quarter final stage
-
CECAFA6 years agoCecafa mourns former chairman Tesfaye Ghebreyesus
-
CECAFA U-18 Boys Championship2 years agoSemi-final stage set for CECAFA U-18 Championship 2023