JKT Queens learn CAF Women’s Champions League Qualifiers' opponents   

08Jul 2023
Michael Mwebe
DAR ES SALAAM
Sport
The Guardian
JKT Queens learn CAF Women’s Champions League Qualifiers' opponents   

MAINLAND Tanzania’s representatives in this year’s CAF Women’s Champions League Zonal Qualifiers, JKT Queens, have learned the teams they will be facing in the showdown.

JKT Queens' midfielder, Anastazia Katunzi (L), is congratulated by teammates once the midfielder netted a goal against The Tiger Queens in the just-ended Serengeti Lite Women's Premier League (SWPL) tie which took place in Dar es Salaam. PHOTO: COURTESY OF TANZANIA FOOTBALL FEDERATION

The draw for the CAF Women’s Champions League Zonal Qualifiers was officially held at the Mohammed VI Complex in Rabat, Morocco on Wednesday.

 

Yusuf Musi, CECAFA’s Director of Competitions, was the first to conduct the draw which was in the form of two groups of five and one of four for his zone.

 

Group A saw Kampala Queens FC of Uganda join Ethiopia’s CBE WFC, FAD of Djibouti, Buja Queens of Burundi as well as Yei Joint Stars of Sudan.

 

In Group B, Tanzania’s JKT Queens were drawn against Vihiga Queens of Kenya, Rwanda’s AS Kigali WFC, and New Generation of Zanzibar.

 

The drawn clubs will battle it out in the CECAFA Zone Qualifiers which will be hosted by Uganda between August 13-30 at MTN-Omondi Stadium and FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru.

 

The regional winners will represent CECAFA Zone in the 2023 CAF Women's Champions League to be held in Cote d’Ivoire.

 

Vihiga Queens from Kenya won the first edition of the regional qualifiers in Nairobi in 2021 while Simba Queens won last year's tournament held in Dar es Salaam.

 

Simba Queens went on to reach the semi-finals of the 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League, losing out to defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and later going down to Bayelsa Queens of Nigeria in the third-place play-off.

 

The 2022/23 Serengeti Lite Women’s Premier League champions, JKT Queens, who dethroned Simba Queens, will be taking part in the zonal qualifiers for the first time.

 

JKT Queens will begin their campaign to secure progression to the 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League with a clash against AS Kigali WFC on August 13.

 

JKT Queens will then play New Generation in the second Group B game before wrapping up their Group B matches against 2021 champions Vihiga Queens.

 

The UNAF Zone qualifiers slated to be held in Oran, Algeria from August 12–30 are expected to determine clubs that will represent the zone.

 

The UNAF Zone’s draw was conducted by the zone's Head of Competitions, Mootez Belleh Dachraoui.

 

SC Casablanca of Morocco, Wadi Delga of Egypt as well as AS Feminine of Tunisia will battle it out while AS FAR WFC, the CAF Women's Champions League holders, will receive direct qualification.

 

Looking at the WAFU Zone A where the qualifiers are set for August 5-13 in Liberia, an interesting draw was conducted by Abdoulaye Cisse, Director of Competitions of the zone.

 

Determine Girls of Liberia were seeded as the host country facing AS Mande of Mali, Dakar Sacre Coeur of Senegal, and Sierra Leone’s Mogbewmo Queens.

 

For the WAFU Zone B, slated to be held in Nigeria from August 18–31, Delta Queens were drawn in Group A which will witness the team coming up against Union Sportive of Burkina Faso and Athletico of Cote d’ Ivoire along with SAM Nelly of Benin.

 

In Group B of the zone, Ampem Darkoa Ladies FC from Ghana is to take on AS Garde of Niger as well as Friend of the World representing Togo.

 

 

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