The CAF Women’s Champions League draw will take place this Friday at the Mohammed VI Complex in Maâmora, as the Confederation of African Football announced in a press release.

The draw which will chart the way to the title match, will start at the auditorium of the sumptuous Mohammed VI Football Complex inSalé, Morocco.

According to CAF, the pairing of the eight teams includes five debutants, including the Nigerian champion, Edo Queens.

The other debutants are: Aigles de la Medina of Senegal), University of the Western Cape in South Africa, Tutankhamun of Egypt and CBE FC of Ethiopia.

They are joined by two-time winners Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa who are the 2022 champions and hosts ASFAR of Morocco, as well as TP Mazembe (DR Congo) who are returning to the competition after missing the last edition in Cote d’Ivoire.

Adding a touch of history and inspiration to the event, former ASFAR player and current U-23 Morocco Women’s National Team, Fatiha Laasiri, will serve as the draw assistant. Laasiri, a trailblazer in Moroccan women’s football, is renowned for her contribution to the growth of the sport and continues to be a role model for aspiring female footballers across Africa..

The final tournament will be held on 09-23 November 2024.

• 2022 : Nigeria 4-0 New Zealand

• 2024: Nigeria 4-1 New Zealand

Nigeria’s U-17 Women’s team overwhelmed their New Zealand counterparts on Wednesday in one of the opening matches ofthe FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic.

It was the second consecutive massive win that the Nigerian side had over the Oceania sides. Both teams met two years ago and the Nigeria side won 4-0, making it eight goals for Nigeria in encounters with New Zealand.

 Wednesday’s scoreline was somehow an improvement for the Oceania team.

That probably explained the overwhelming joy that followed their solitary goal that brought scorelines to 4-1 on Wednesday.

 When Hannah Saxon scored, the entire squad went into a frenzy celebration as if they had scored the winning goal.

New Zealand head coach Alana Gunn later explained: “A goal is massive for us.

“It’s an awesome achievement from the team and especially for Hannah, she’ll remember that type of moment forever.”

Spectators were possibly still adjusting their seats when Nigeria’s U-17 Women’s team set the Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic agog with a sensational goal.

By the time the record books are opened, Shakirat Moshood’s goal within 90 seconds from kick-off will be adjudged as the competition’s fastest goal in 16 years. What a sensational and dreamy opening!

It led to Nigeria coasting to a 4-1 victory over flummoxed New Zealand as the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals rolled into action.

The precocious Faridat Abdulwahab rocked the crossbar seven minutes later from 23 yards, and in the 13^th minute, Nigeria went two goals up when defender Taiwo Adegoke’s shot from well outside the box was misjudged by the goalkeeper who palmed the ball over the line before scrambling in vain to push it out.

 A check with the Video Assistant Referee confirmed that the ball had, indeed, crossed the line.

Firing from all cylinders, Nigeria again rattled the opposing goalkeeper in the 17^th minute, with a sharp shot from Moshood that was punched over the bar.

Four minutes later, Peace Effiong, all over the pitch, heaved the ball too high from six yards. In the 26^th minute, Harmony Chidi rounded the goalkeeper who made a great block on the second attempt.

Captain Taiwo Afolabi stung the goalkeeper’s palms from close range in the 28^th minute, and from the resultant corner kick, Abdulwahab easily lifted the ball over the goalie from 16 yards for Nigeria’s third goal.

In the second half, the Flamingos continued their raid on the opposition goal, and eight minutes into the restart, it was 4-0 after Afolabi’s looping header from Adegoke’s cross from the right sailed over the goalkeeper into the net.

On the hour, Saxon scored a goal right from the training ground, collecting the ball from a corner kick and doing a smart turn to shoot past goalkeeper Christiana Uzoma, thus pulling one back for the New Zealanders.

Although Chidi, Nigeria’s top scorer from the qualifying series, was again foiled in the 75^th minute, the Flamingos finished on the ascendancy. They will look forward to another three points against debutants Ecuador on Saturday, which will take them to the tournament’s knockout stage.