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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
Zimbabwe’s Totalenergies Caf Women’s Champions League representatives Black Rhinos Queens have been drawn in Group B of the Cosafa qualifiers alongside Zambia’s Green Buffaloes, who are seeded and Tura Magic of Namibia.

Group A has Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies who are the top seeded side in the group, Lesotho Defence Force, Double Action Ladies from Botswana and Manzini Wanderers of Eswatini. The teams were originally expected to be eight but Costa Do Sol of Mozambique pulled out, hence only three teams in Group B.

The qualifiers will be staged in South Africa from August 26 to September 4 where the top two sides from each group will advance to the semifinals to decide the two finalists who will collide for the sole ticket to the finals set for Egypt later in the year.

It is the first time COSAFA are staging a club competition, with the victor to advance to the continental showpiece event that is set for later in the year.

“This is a momentous day for us in the Cosafa region. This is something that we have had on our radar for a while, but it’s a great initiative from Caf to implement a Champions League competition and do the qualifiers at a zonal level. We have seven teams taking part in 2021, but by next year we hope to have all 14 of our member associations participating. This is just the start, but we are putting a peg in the ground,” said Cosafa General Secretary Sue Destombes in a press release.

With the qualifiers only a few weeks away, Black Rhinos Queens will be hoping that their appeal to start preparations will be granted by the Sports and Recreation Commission.

2021 Totalenergies Caf Women’s Champions League I Cosafa Qualifier Draw:
Group A
Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Lesotho Defence Force (Lesotho)
Double Action Ladies (Botswana)
Manzini Wanderers (Eswatini)

Group B
Green Buffaloes (Zambia)
Black Rhino Queens (Zimbabwe)
TURA Magic (Namibia)