Edo Queens break South African hearts as Nigerian champions send Mamelodi Sundowns out of CAFWCL

Edo Queens delivered a stunning performance on Saturday, 16 November, in Casablanca, to eliminate defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies with a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory to book their place in the CAF Women’s Champions League semi-finals, Soccernet.ng reports.

Sundowns appeared to be cruising after Melinda Kgadiete’s 24th-minute opener, assisted by Karabo Dlamini.

Despite sustained pressure, the South Africans held onto their slender lead until deep into stoppage time.

Then, Emem Essien struck an equaliser, reigniting Edo Queens’ hopes and sending shockwaves through the Sundowns’ camp.

With the stakes at their peak, Mary Mamudu capitalised on poor defending in the dying seconds of added time to fire the Nigerian champions into the lead, sealing an unforgettable victory and dumping the titleholders out of the tournament.

This is the first time in the competition’s history that two-time winners Sundown will not reach the final. 

Debutants Edo Queens, however, advancing to the knockout stage of the competition where they will face TP Mazembe. 

In another Group B encounter, Egyptian debutants FC Masar secured their semi-final spot with a historic 2-1 win over Central Bank of Ethiopia (CBE).

Sandrine Niyonkuru opened the scoring in the 24th minute, while Yassmine Zezo’s 85th-minute strike extended Masar’s lead.

Though CBE found a late consolation through Senaf Wakuma, it was too little, too late.

The semi-finals, set for Tuesday, 19 November, promise high-octane battles.

Edo Queens will face TP Mazembe, while FC Masar will challenge tournament hosts AS FAR in a North African showdown.

With all four teams eyeing glory, the stage is set for an electrifying conclusion to this year’s CAF Women’s Champions League.

CAF Women’s Champions League Semi-Final Fixtures

16h00 | Edo Queens vs TP Mazembe

19h00 | AS FAR vs FC Masar