AWCON
Botswana eye World Cup slot ahead of Cameroon matchup

Botswana are looking to write more history when they take on 2016 WAFCON finalists Cameroon in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying playoff tie on Sunday in Rabat, Morocco.
The Mares, who are the only WAFCON 2022 debutants that made it out of the group stages and into the knockout phase, have impressed many with their style of play, resilience and most of all their quality of football.
They might be out of title contention at the African showpiece but they still stand a chance to play at the world stage for the very first time in their history, however, giants Cameroon stand in their way.
“It is not going to be an easy game but I believe in my team and as a senior player, I have to do everything possible to help the team to qualify for the playoffs,” said Botswana’s focused first choice goalkeeper Maitumelo Bosija.
Botswana have played against three of the four semifinalists at the WAFCON 2022 including nine-time record African champions Nigeria (2-0), South Africa (1-0) in the group stages and hosts Morocco (2-1) losing all three but according to head coach Gaoletlhoo Nkutlwisang, this has prepared them for their next game.
“We have played against tough teams that have international players and for us, it is our first time at this tournament. I think we have learnt from these games but also, Cameroon is a team like any other. Yes, it is a high-ranked team but we know how to approach these games. We know what we can do,” Nkutlwisang said with confidence.
“This is going to be one of our toughest preparations for a game in terms of what lies ahead but generally looking at what we displayed during the tournament especially in our last game against Morocco with the stadium fully packed, we are motivated going into our next game with Cameroon.”
“Seeing the way Cameroon played against Nigeria, we are motivated that we can do better. We have analyzed their strength and weaknesses and we hope that we can win this game and qualify to the next playoff tournament.”
For Cameroon, having tasted the feeling of playing at the World Cup first in 2015 before returning in 2019, the Indomitable Lionesses want to return to the big stage even if it means taking the longer route now that they failed to make it automatically as semifinalists at the ongoing WAFCON.
“I believe that Botswana and us are equal. We will play to our best. Losing to Nigeria woke us up and now we have turned our focus to qualifying for the World Cup. We will keep our hope to achieve this because we need to win this match. We will do our best,” explained Cameroon’s coach Gabriel Zabo.
The Indomitable Lionesses have seemed like a shadow of themselves for the most part of this tournament drawing with Zambia in their opening fixture before coming from behind to force a 1-1 draw with debutants Togo and defeating Tunisia 2-0 in their last Group B game.
Zabo was quick to state that, “Football is a matter of skill and some luck. We have not scored many goals at this tournament. We drew against Zambia in the first game, found the back of the net against Togo and then found our feet against Tunisia. Against Nigeria, we struggled to score but we have been working on correcting our mistakes and we want to do better against Botswana.”
“Our goal is to qualify for the World Cup. The WAFCON 2022 title is now history. We still have hope for qualifying and our focus is now to do that.”
Cameroon have reached the Round of 16 at the FIFA Women’s World Cup on the two occasions (2015 and 2019) that they have played at the tournament
The winners of this game and that between Senegal and Tunisia will qualify for the 10-team playoff tournament that will have two teams from Asia (AFC), South America (CONMEBOL) as well as North America, Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF) and a team each from Europe (UEFA) and Oceania (OFC).
The three top teams will qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup set to be held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20.
AWCON
TP Mazembe reign as Queens of African women’s club football

Democratic Republic of Congo side, TP Mazembe are officially the champions of the CAF Women’s Champions League Morocco 2024.
A highly tactical and hard fought 1-0 victory in the final played in El Jadida’s Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi against former champions and hosts, AS FAR saw the DR Congo side crowned the new champions of Africa for the first time – wiping away tears of their 2022 group stage exit.
With the crowd backing the hosts, Mazembe showed great resilience and courage in taking the match to the former champions who remain in search for what has been an elusive second title for them.
The deciding goal of the fourth edition of the tournament came courtesy of a converted spot kick by Marlene Kasaj in the opening 10 minutes, which Mazembe protected throughout the match to seal the historic victory.
Despite the early concession, AS FAR kept believing and surged forward in search of the leveller, but a resolute Mazembe defense kept the clean sheet throughout the opening half.
Coming back from the break, it was surprisingly Mazembe who looked more dangerous as they came out strong in an attempt to kill off the game.
The hosts eventually found their rhythm but again were met by a disciplined Mazembe defense, who kept the former champions at bay to secure Africa’s most sought-after women’s club football crown.
In addition to the coveted CAF Women’s Champions League trophy, TP Mazembe also take home $600 000 in prize money, while runners-up AS FAR take home $400 000.
-CAF
AWCON
WAFCON draw is a fair one for Super Falcons, says football supporters’ boss Ikpea

BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU
The National Chairman of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) Samuel Ikpea has tipped the Super Falcons of Nigeria to claim their 10th African Women’s Cup of Nations title in Morocco when they begin their campaign next year.
Ikpea’ remarks came after the Friday night draw that put Algeria, Tunisia and Botswana in the same group with the Super Falcons.
“Our girls are going to play in a group with two North African countries (Tunisia and Algeria). “It is going to be interesting, and I am optimistic that our girls will scale from our group”.
AWCON
Super Falcons to face Tunisia, Algeria, Botswana at Women’s Africa Cup of Nations

Nigeria will tackle two North African teams – Tunisia and Algeria – as well as Botswana, in Group B of the 13th Women Africa Cup of Nations finals taking place in Morocco next summer.
The Falcons will surely relish another meeting with Algeria’s Green Ladies, whom they defeated 2-0 and 4-1 respectively in two friendly matches in Nigeria last month.
Botswana eliminated Gabon in the qualifying series and Tunisia were the quarter-finalists at the last edition also hosted by Morocco.
At the draw conducted on Friday evening at the Technical Centre of the Mohamed VI Football Complex in Sale, outside Rabat, host nation Morocco, earlier slotted into Group A, learnt they will have to cope with Zambia, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Cup holders South Africa are in Group C and will square up to Ghana, Mali and Tanzania in the three-week, 12-nation final tournament taking place 5th – 26th July 2025.
Hosts Morocco finished as runners-up in the last edition in July 2022, with Zambia taking the bronze after a 1-0 defeat of Nigeria in the third-place match.
GROUP A: Morocco, Zambia, Senegal, DR Congo
GROUP B: Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, Botswana
GROUP C: South Africa, Ghana, Mali, Tanzania
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