Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies clinched a 1-nil victory over Morocco’s SC Casablanca to book a semi-final spot in the CAF Women’s Champions League Code d’Ivoire 2023 in a clash played on Wednesday (8 November) at Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly in Korhogo.
Melinda Kgadiete’s header in the 42nd minute made all the difference, with the North Africans unable to change the final result.
This is Sundowns Ladies’ third semi-finals in a row in the competition, and this time they secure it with a game to spare in the group stages.
“We are very happy with the way we have begun the tournament and our performances have been impressive despite the tough nature of the games we have played. The plan is to focus more on improving ourselves because we know why we are here. We desire to get the ultimate prize and everyone within the team is determined to achieve that objective,” said Sundowns Head Coach Jerry Tshabalala.
With one match remaining in the group stages, the Brazilians’ mentor, however, does not want his charges to take their foot off the pedal after a perfect start of two wins from the same number of games in the tournament.
The South Africans face hosts Athlético de Abidjan on Saturday night (11 November) at Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly in Korhogo.
Kickoff is at 22h00 South African time.
“We have seen how Athlético plays and we can say they are a very strong and physical side, even though they lost against JKT Queens. They are early starters, as they love to score the first goals in games and that is something we will be looking forward to preventing. We are going to treat the game against them with all seriousness. They are the host side and they need a win at all costs, so we are not going to take the game lightly in any way,” added Tshabalala.
“For the third match, we will look at reviewing our squad to see which girls are fit and in good shape to help us finish strong.”
For SC Casablanca, the journey looks almost over as they have only point to their name – following their earlier draw against Athlético.
They will take on JKT Queens, who revived their campaign with a 2-1 over the same Athlético Abidjan on Wednesday night, but have not given up hope.
“The girls are upset. We will go to San Pedro to qualify because these players deserve to continue the playing in this competition. In the second half, we still stood up to Sundowns, which shows that we are a capable side,” said Mehdi El Quichori, coach of SC Casablanca.
His sentiments were shared by their goalkeeper, Imane Abdelhad.
“We are going to play our final group match against JKT. This defeat has not affected our morale. On the contrary, we are more motivated than ever,” said Abdelhad.
Here’s what the Sundowns Ladies players said after the match:
Nonhlanhla Mthandi:
“The game was far from easy because they employed a very low block and that made things a bit difficult. We created a lot of chances and we are pleased with the goal we scored. Overall, I am happy with the way we defended and we are all determined to finish the group stage on a positive note.”
Boitumelo Rabale:
“The game was cagey at times because we felt they were more focused on not conceding goals rather than scoring. But despite the contrasting styles of tactics, we did very well in ensuring the victory. We are happy to be in the semi-finals and we are ready for the next game.”
In the other Group A match played earlier, Tanzania’s JKT Queens got their campaign back on track with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Athlético Abidjan.
Both sides were desperate for victory after their earlier results – JKT lost while Athlético drew.
The home side had taken the lead in the 33rd minute through Sandrine Niamien, before JKT second half substitute Winifreda Gerald restored parity in the 66th minute. Alia Salum, who also checked in this stanza grabbed a late winner with five minutes remaining on the clock, much to the heartbreak of the host team.
Athlético d’Abidjan Coach – Lancina Dao
“To win, we need key elements of football and It must be noted that we unfortunately do not have them, which is something we need to work on. We will stay positive and continue to work to get a result in the next match.”
There was, however, joy and renewed hope in the camp of the Tanzanians.
JKT Queens – Esther F. Chaburuma
“At half-time, we noticed the defensive shortcomings of our opponent which were mainly in the physical aspect. We brought in two fast players, which allowed us to keep the ball and above all, press forward. We will recover well ahead of the last game in order to secure our qualification in the next match.”
As matters stand in Group A, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies are in total control with six points, followed by JKT Queens, three behind, while Athlético Abidjan and Sporting Casablanca have one point each.
By Matlhomola Morake
