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Fungai Muderere, [email protected]
THE Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women’s Champions League COSAFA qualifier 2024 gets under way in Blantyre, Malawi on Thursday as eight teams battle for a place in the continental finals to be staged later this year.
Mamelodi Sundowns have already qualified as the African champions and holders, but who will join them from the COSAFA region is the big question.
We recap the groups for the qualifiers.
GROUP A
The 2022 champions Green Buffaloes headline Group A and will be favourites to advance to the semifinals, but who will join them is the big question. FC Ongos from Namibia were in the inaugural championship in 2021 as TURA Magic when they had a horror draw against Buffaloes and eventual finalists Black Rhinos Queens from Zimbabwe. There is a sense of déjà vu as they meet Buffalos again and another Zimbabwean qualifier in Herentals Queens, who are on debut and an unknown factor.
Throw in South African side University of the Western Cape and they have three tough fixtures. UWC have finished runners-up in the South African league for the last three seasons behind powerhouse Sundowns and have plenty of quality in their side too. Winning the first game will be a huge boost for the sides as it puts them on the front foot in a tough pool.
DATE FIXTURES KO TIME
15 August Herentals Queens vs FC Ongos
15 August UWC vs Green Buffaloes
17 August Green Buffaloes vs Herentals Queens
17 August UWC vs FC Ongos
19 August FC Ongos vs Green Buffaloes
19 August UWC vs Herentals Queens
GROUP B
Malawian qualifiers Ascent Academy will have ‘home’ advantage, even if they are based in Lilongwe, with local fans likely to get behind them as they wave the country’s flag. Young Buffaloes from Eswatini return for a third successive championship but have failed to manage a win to date and will be looking to make a bit of history this time round. The other two clubs are debutants in Gaborone United, who are now led by coach William Monene, the man in charge of compatriots Double Action when they made the final in 2023. He knows what it takes to go deep into this tournament. União Desportiva de Lichinga from Mozambique are the other new team, taking over from last year’s third-placed side Costa do Sol. This will be a big step up in quality for them.
This group may not be as stacked with potential winners, but that does not make it any easier to call and it could well be a fight to the final round of fixtures to see who emerges as the top two.
16 August Gaborone United vs UD de Lichinga
16 August Ascent Academy vs Young Buffaloes
18 August Gaborone United vs Young Buffaloes
18 August UD de Lichinga vs Ascent Academy
20 August Young Buffaloes vs UD de Lichinga
20 August Gaborone United vs Ascent Academy