Nigeria’s Queens will battle for third on Saturday, while South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies will attempt defending their title against the Moroccans in Sunday’s final.
Nigerian champions Bayelsa Queens have fallen short in their quest for the CAF Women’s Champions League glory, losing 1-0 to Morocco’s AS FAR Women in the semifinal of the competition.
Ibtissam Jraidi’s first-half goal was enough to seal the victory for Moroccan champions who made their first final at the expense of the Nigerian club, who were also seeking their first final.
Bayelsa Queens had made it to this stage of the competition after finishing second behind defending champions Mamelodi Sundown Ladies in their group, and ahead of TP Mazembe and Egypt’s Wadi Degla.
Jraidi break the Nigerian hearts in Rabat
The encounter at the Stade Moulay Hassan in Rabat saw both sides come into the game with so much anticipation having finished decently in their respective groups.
However, it didn’t take long for Jraidi to break the Nigerian hearts with a stunner just three minutes before the half-hour. It was the Moroccan’s third goal of the competition.
On the return from the break, coach Domo Okara’s side hard fought to get an equalizer, coming close on a few occasions, however, it was not enough to trouble Khadija Er-Rmichi in the Moroccan champions’ goalpost.
AS FAR continued to hold on for the slim win and got it at the sound of the final whistle, sending their home fans in jubilation as they made the final which failed at achieving, when they lost at this stage at last year’s competition.
Following the disappointment, Bayelsa Queens will now play Tanzania’s Simba Queens in Saturday’s third-place match.
AS FAR to challenge Sundowns title defence
Having edged Simba Queens in a 1-0 victory earlier on Wednesday, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies will hope that they can retain the Women’s Champions League trophy on Sunday.
A 76th-minute goal by Boitumelo Rabale saw the defending champions make their second consecutive final in two attempts.
They will vie for the trophy against Morocco’s AS FAR at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat to draw the curtain on the second edition of the continent’s Women’s premier club competition.
Pulse
