Nigeria’s Edo Queens and Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies have secured their places in the semi-finals of the WAFU B Women’s Champions League qualifiers after maintaining perfect records through their opening two matches in Ouagadougou.
The two West African heavyweights have taken control of Group B with six points each, while Burkina Faso’s USFA have also made a strong start in Group A as the battle for places in the knockout stage intensifies.
Edo Queens have produced the most prolific attack of the tournament so far, scoring 10 goals in two matches, including an emphatic 7-0 victory over AS Garde Nationale of Niger in their opening fixture.
The Nigerian side followed that performance with a 3-1 victory over Côte d’Ivoire’s ASEC Mimosas to guarantee their progression with a match to spare.
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Ghanaian champions Ampem Darkoa have been equally impressive, although their route to the last four has been built around defensive solidity as well as attacking quality.
They opened their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over ASEC Mimosas before recording a commanding 4-0 win against AS Garde Nationale.
Those results mean Sunday’s meeting between Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa will decide who finishes top of Group B, with both sides already assured of semi-final football.
USFA take control in Group A
Hosts USFA made their intentions clear from their opening match, beating Benin’s FC Dynamique 3-0 to put themselves in a commanding position in the three-team Group A.
With fewer matches available in the group, the size of that victory could prove significant as the competition reaches the decisive stage.
USFA will complete their group campaign against Togo’s ASKO de Kara on Saturday, with the Togolese side and FC Dynamique battling over the remaining semi-final position.
ASKO go into the contest knowing that anything other than a four-goal defeat against USFA would be enough to take them through.
Individual stars emerge
Beyond the results, several players have already made significant individual contributions during the opening two matchdays.
Edo Queens forward Esther Moses produced the tournament’s standout goalscoring display with a hat-trick in the 7-0 victory over AS Garde Nationale.
She became the first player at this year’s qualifiers to score three goals in a match and was subsequently named Woman of the Match.
Her Edo Queens team-mate Oluwakemi Adegbuyi has also emerged as one of the competition’s exciting young prospects.
The 16-year-old scored and provided an assist in the 3-1 victory over ASEC Mimosas, with her pace and technical ability causing persistent problems for the Ivorian side.
Adegbuyi’s display earned her the Woman of the Match award, with Edo Queens coach Kennedy Boboye suggesting the teenager’s development could eventually take her into contention for Nigeria’s senior national team.
Ampem Darkoa have meanwhile been inspired by midfielder Nancy Amoh, whose movement and influence have been important to the Ghanaian side’s perfect start.
Amoh has scored once in her opening two appearances and has also collected a Woman of the Match award.
For hosts USFA, Deborah Guira made an immediate impact after coming off the bench against FC Dynamique. The winger contributed a goal and an assist in the 3-0 victory and was named Woman of the Match.
Semi-final picture taking shape
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With the group stage nearing its conclusion, attention now turns towards the final fixtures and the make-up of the semi-finals.
Edo Queens and Ampem Darkoa have removed any uncertainty over qualification from Group B, but their meeting on Sunday will determine the group winner and potentially shape their respective routes through the knockout rounds.
In Group A, USFA’s impressive opening performance has put the Burkina Faso representatives in a strong position, while ASKO de Kara and FC Dynamique remain in contention.
The early results have also highlighted the depth of women’s club football across the WAFU B region, with teams from Nigeria, Ghana and Burkina Faso setting the pace in Ouagadougou.
For Edo Queens, Ampem Darkoa and USFA, however, strong starts represent only the beginning of the challenge as they pursue the ultimate prize – emerging as WAFU B’s representative on the continental stage.
