Two-time champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies have been drawn into a tough Group A at the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifiers.
This was revealed in a draw conducted on Tuesday in Johannesburg, which will host the tournament from August 22-31.
The Brazilians will face Ntopwa FC from Malawi, Beauties FC of Namibia and Zesco Ndola Girls of Zambia in the pool stage. The latter two are debutantes in this year’s competition.
Group B contains last year’s beaten finalists Gaborone United Ladies FC of Botswana, Eswatini’s Young Buffaloes and Kick4Life of Lesotho in what also looks like another tight pool.
Herentals Queens of Zimbabwe are the seeded team in Group C and will take on Clube de Desportos da Costa do Sol of Mozambique and Olympic de Moroni from Comoros.
The top team in each pool advances to the semifinals along with the best second-placed side. In the case of Group A, the results against the team that finish bottom of the pool will be disregarded for that calculation.
Banyana ba Style were winners of the CAF Women’s Champions League in 2021 and 2023, and have appeared in all four continental finals. They lost on penalties to Green Buffaloes from Zambia in the 2022 COSAFA Qualifiers final but still advanced as defending continental champions.
Sundowns did not appear in the regional qualifiers in 2024 as defending champions in Africa, with that tournament won by compatriots the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
CAF WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE | COSAFA QUALIFIERS DRAW:
GROUP A:
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies (South Africa)
Ntopwa FC (Malawi)
Beauties FC (Namibia)
Zesco Ndola Girls (Zambia)
GROUP B:
Gaborone United Ladies FC (Botswana)
Young Buffaloes (Eswatini)
Kick4Life (Lesotho)
GROUP C:
Herentals Queens (Zimbabwe)
CD Costa do Sol (Mozambique)
Olympic de Moroni (Comoros)
Source: COSAFA.com
