WOMEN
GRAND FINALE: CBE WFC set to face tricky Kenya Police Bullets
The CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA Zonal qualifiers come to a climax on Thursday afternoon with the final pitting Commercial Bank of Ethiopia WFC against new comers Kenya Police Bullets FC.
But first will be the playoff match between Kawempe Muslim Ladies (Uganda) and Simba Queens from Tanzania at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Interestingly all the four teams in action on the final Day faced-off in the group stages with CBE stopping Kenya Police Bullets 2-1, while Simba Queens also edged Kawempe Muslim Ladies 3-0.
Coach Birhanu Gizaw Heye’s team walk into the pitch more than hungry not to suffer defeat in their third final, while Beldine Odemba will be hungry to see her youthful side re-write history of winning the title on their first attempt and becoming a second Kenya side to bag it.
“This is a very important final for us because we are playing at home. We need to be very organized and make sure we take our chances,” says the CBE coach.
But Odemba maintains that although her team struggled a bit in the group stage, they have now settled after players’ mentality was handled. “We are ready for the final,” she added.
The home side will look to their leading scorer with five goals Sinaf Wakuma Zenaf Demise and Aregesh Kalsa Tadesse to lead the attack, while the Kenyan side will hope that Rebecca Akinyi Okwaro with two goals in the tournament so far and Purity Alukwe Anyetu also find their touch infront of goal.
To reach the final Kenya Police Bullets silenced the 2022 champions Simba Queens 3-2, while CBE defeated Kawempe Moslem Ladies 2-1.
The regional qualifier which kicked off on August 17th attracted eight teams; CBE WFC (Ethiopia), Kenya Police Bullets (Kenya), Yei Joint Stars WFC (South Sudan), Rayon Sports Women FC (Rwanda), Simba Queens SC (Tanzania), Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC (Uganda), PVP Buyenzi (Burundi) and FAD FC (Djibouti).