NEWS
Coaches applaud CAF for introducing Women’s Champions League
The CECAFA zonal qualifier for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League enters the semi final stage today in Nairobi, Kenya.
Coaches of the eight teams that qualified to represent their respective countries have come out to praise the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) under President Patrice Motsepe for introducing this tournament, and CECAFA for organizing the qualifier.
Fred Musiime, the Lady Doves coach says he is very happy that finally CAF has though of having this tournament. “This is a very good platform for the teams in Africa to keep improving by playing in such a tournament,” says Musiime.
The PVP FC (Burundi) coach Jumaine Niyonkuru says having this competition is going to bring more competition in most of the Women Leagues in Africa. “This is a very good step by CAF to introduce this tournament because it will be another place where scouts can also scout out players,” added Niyonkuru.
Although his team did not manage to pick a single win in the tournament, coach of Djibouti’s FAD FC, Darar Abdillahi Darar thinks with many more tournaments for women footballers in Africa like the Champions League, the standards of women football will keep improving. “Players will always get better if they have more exposure and I think it was great idea for CAF to introduce this tournament,” says Darar.
Vihiga Queens FC coach Charles Okere Okoth also made it clear that this tournament was long overdue. “Women football has been lacking a platform like this for the teams in the continent to compete just like the men. I thank CAF for finally making this happen,” added Okoth.
For Heye Birhanu Gizaw whose Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC are the only team that has kept a 100% winning record in the group stage, he has thanked CECAFA and Kenya in particular for oragnising this tournament, but also praised CAF for finally introducing this event. “With this Champions League now in place, we shall now see many teams getting more competitive because they will be playing for silverware at continental level and this gives another platform,” he added.
The other three coaches of Simba Queens FC (Tanzania), Yei Joints Stars (South Sudan) and New Generations FC (Zanzibar) also made it clear that having this Women’s Champions League tournament is very good news and CAF must be applauded.
Mukura Victory Sport have stunned reigning Rwanda Premier League champions APR FC 1-0 in a match played on Sunday at Amahoro Stadium.
Destin Malanda netted the lone goal after 19 minutes to silence the APR fans at the Stadium.
Recently signed Ugandan players Hakim Kiwanuka and Denis Omedi all started the match for APR FC, but the Mukura Victory Sport team employed a highly defensive approach. APR FC recently lifted Heroes Cup 2025.
After 18 matches played, the army side is placed second with 37 points, while Rayon Sports who were held to a 1-1 draw by Amagaju on Saturday are top with 41 points.
Mukura Victory Sport are placed sixth on the 16-team log with 27points, behind Police FC who have a point more.
The head coach of Simba SC has said facing Al Masry SC in the quarter final stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup will not be an easy task.
After the draw was conducted yesterday in Qatar, the Tanzania Premier League side was drawn to face Egyptian side Al Masry SC.
Speaking after the draw Simba SC head coach Fadlu Davids has made it clear that at this level it is always very tricky and difficult because all the teams are good. “Facing Al Masry will not be easy. But we had pre-season in Egypt and we know what to expect when we play the first leg in Egypt,” explained the head coach.
Fadlu Davids made it clear that it was very important for Simba SC to top the group so that they play the first leg of the quarter final away from home.
The two-legged quarter-final matches will be played on April 2 and April 9 April, 2025.
In the other matches Cup holders Zamalek SC of Egypt will face Stellenbosch FC (South Africa), ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast) take on Morocco’s RS Berkane, and CS Constantine battle USM Alger in an Algerian derby.
The winner of the tie between Simba SC and Al Masry, and the clash between Zamalek SC and Stellenbosch FC, while the second semi-final will see the winner between RS Berkane and ASEC Mimosas battle the winner between USM Alger and CS Constantine.
Quarter-Finals fixture
Stellenbosch FC (South Africa) vs Zamalek SC (Egypt)
ASEC Mimosas (Ivory Coast) vs RS Berkane (Morocco)
CS Constantine (Algeria) vs USM Alger (Algeria)
Al Masry (Egypt) vs Simba SC (Tanzania)
Two teams from the CECAFA Zone Uganda and Tanzania have been placed in Group A ahead of the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025.
During the draw conducted on Thursday in Cairo, Egypt, the CECAFA Zonal champions Uganda have been placed with Tanzania, hosts Morocco and Zambia. In the final of the Zonal qualifiers Uganda stopped Tanzania 2-1.
The expanded tournament which will feature 16 teams is selected for March 30th to April 19th, 2025. The best 10 teams will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup to take place in Qatar in November.
During the draw conducted by former Mali international Adama Coulibaly and ex-Senegal star Souleymane Camara will act as draw assistants, another team from the CECAFA Zone Somalia was placed in Group C alongside defending champions Senegal, Gambia and Tunisia.
The 2011 champions Burkina Faso are placed in Group B alongside the champion from UNIFFAC, South Africa and Egypt, while Group D has Mali, Angola, Cote d’Ivoire and the second team in the UNIFFAC qualifiers.
Group A: Morocco, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia
Group B: Burkina Faso, UNIFAC 1, South Africa, Egypt
Group C: Senegal, Gambia, Somalia, Tunisia
Group D: Mali, Angola, Cote D’Ivoire, UNIFFAC 2
Somalia has been included as one of the teams that will feature in the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025.
The Somalian team which finished third in the Zonal CECAFA qualifiers after stopping South Sudan 1-0 in the play-off late last year has been included by CAF together with Gambia from the WAFU-UFOA Zone A.
The CECAFA Zone will be represented by Uganda, Tanzania and Somalia during the competition which runs March 30th to April 19th, 2025 in Morocco. The final draw for the competition will take place on February 13th in Cairo, Egypt.
The expanded tournament will see 16 teams compete, with a record 10 African nations to qualify for the 48-team FIFA U-17 World Cup that will be staged in Qatar from November 5-27th, 2025.
Teams to be drawn
Morocco (host), Angola, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Gambia, Mali, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and one team each UNIFFAC and UNIFFAC.
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