This is the second meeting between Nigerian clubs and Egyptian clubs at the finals, the only previous such meeting saw Bayelsa Queens win 3-0 against Wadi Degla in their final group game in 2022. The result saw Bayelsa Queens progress to the last four.

Teams from Nigeria have faced off against teams from North Africa three times at the finals – their record in these games reads W1 L2.

Overall this is the fourth meeting between teams from Nigeria and North Africa at the finals. In addition to Bayelsa Queens’ win over Wadi Degla, AS FAR defeated Rivers Angels 3-0 in their opening group game in 2021. AS FAR also defeated Bayelsa Queens in the 2022 Semi-finals winning 1-0.

Edo Queens FC

·      Edo Queens are Nigeria’s third participant at the finals after Rivers Angels and Bayelsa Queens.

·      Edo Queens won their opening game 3-0 against CBE they are the first team from Nigeria to win their opening game at the finals in 2021 Rivers and Angels lost 3-0 to AS FAR and in 2022 Bayelsa Queens lost 2-1 to Sundowns.

·      Edo Queens recorded the joint biggest win by a Nigerian club at the finals along with Bayelsa Queens 3-0 win over Wadi Degla at the group stages in 2022.

·      Victory for Edo Queens will see them become the first Nigerian club at the finals to win their opening two games.  

·      Should they not concede Edo Queens will be the first Nigerian club to keep successive clean-sheets in their opening two games.

·      In their opening game against CBE, Edo Queens scored their three goals with six shots on target.

·      In their opening game against CBE, the Nigerian’s managed to complete a game high 505 passes, with a passing accuracy of 78.8%.

·      Of the 641 passes they attempted in their opening game win over CBE, 348 of the passes were in the opposition half.

·      Should either of Edo Queen’s goal scorers Emem Essien, Folashade Ijamilusi or Goodness Osigwe score, they will be the first players to score more than a single goal for a Nigerian club at the finals.

·      Against CBE, the Nigerians had four players who completed at least 50 passes.

·      Miracle Usani attempted 8 crosses in the win over CBE, while Ijamilusi attempted 6 crosses.

FC Masar

·       Masar defeated defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 in their opening game, at the finals they are the first team to defeat Sundowns in a group game.

·       Masar are Egypt’s second representatives at the finals, like Wadi Degla in 2021 they won their opening game.

·       Masar’s win over Sundowns ended a five-game losing run for Egyptian clubs at the finals, Wadi Degla lost their final two games in 2021 and all three games in 2022.

·       Masar are the first Egyptian club to keep a clean-sheet at the finals, Wadi Degla had conceded in all of their previous six games at the finals.

·       Masar are the third club from the UNAF region to win their first ever game at the finals along with Wadi Degla and AS FAR in 2021.

·       Victory for Masar will see them become the first Egyptian club to win two successive games at the finals.

·       Should Masar avoid defeat they will be the first Egyptian club at the finals to go undefeated over their first two games at the finals.

·       No team from the UNAF region has ever lost their maiden game at the finals, in addition to the three teams that had won SC Casablanca drew their first game in 2023.

·       In their opening game against Sundowns, Masar managed to complete just 127 passes. The second fewest amongst all teams on Match Day one.

AS FAR showcased an impressive comeback to defeat TP Mazembe 3-1 in a high-intensity CAF Women’s Champions League encounter at the Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi in El Jadida on Tuesday.

The Moroccan side fought back after conceding an early goal to secure all three points in the Group A match, in front of their home crowd and move to six points.

The match began with TP Mazembe taking the lead in the 11th minute, as Elena Nkuandum found the net following a VAR review, finishing a close-range shot into the bottom corner after an assist from Merveille Kanjinga.

Mazembe’s early pressure seemed to have caught FAR Rabat off guard, and they controlled much of the early exchanges.

However, FAR Rabat regrouped after the break, equalizing in the 50th minute through a superb header from Doha El Madani, who directed Safa Banouk’s cross into the top corner.

This goal ignited the Moroccan side’s confidence, and just two minutes later, Sanaâ Mssoudy put them ahead with a precise left-footed finish to the bottom corner after receiving a well-timed pass from Doha El Madani.

The hosts continued to pile on the pressure, and in the 58th minute, Mssoudy struck again, extending AS FAR’s lead to 3-1 with a clinical finish from close range, capitalizing on a cross from Zineb Erroudany.

Despite Mazembe’s attempts to rally, including a missed penalty by Telma Baffour in the 83rd minute, they could not break through FAR Rabat’s sturdy defence.

FAR Rabat’s spirited comeback against TP Mazembe underscores their potential as a strong contender in the CAF Women’s Champions League, leaving the home fans hopeful for the remainder of the tournament.

The result sees the hosts top Group A, with Mazembe tied on 3 points with University of the Western Cape Ladies who won their match against Aigles De La Medina earlier in the day. 

The four teams will be back in action for their final Group A fixtures on Friday evening to determine who advances to the semi-finals. 

Aigles De La Medina takes on the wounded Mazembe, while UWC Ladies face a AS FAR side that already has one foot into the semi-finals. 

Both matches kick-off at 19h00 Local Time.

The University of the Western Cape boosted their chances of progression in the CAF Women’s Champions League Morocco 2024, after a hard-fought 2-0 win over Aigles De La Medina in a Group A clash on Tuesday afternoon in El Jadida.

Two second half goals by Molatelo Kobo and Ntombifikile Ndlovu were enough to see the South Africans secure their first win of the competition in a result that significantly increases their chances of progression ahead of their final match against hosts, AS FAR.

Both sides came into the clash desperate for a win following disappointing results in their respective opening Group A matches.

UWC were subjected to a 2-0 defeat by TP Mazembe, while Aigles suffered a crushing 3-0 loss to AS FAR on Saturday.

With zero points to their name, both sides came out firing off their starting blocks with an all-out attack from the first whistle.

Despite having a go at each other, both teams failed to break the deadlock in the opening half, with most efforts failing to find the target.

It was the South Africans who found the opener five minutes into the second half after substitute, Molatelo Kobo’s persistence in the danger area resulted in a defensive error, of which she pounced on to convert from close range.

Momentum shifted to the South Africans who continued piling on the pressure for the second goal to come, courtesy of a clever chip by the skilful Ntombifikile Ndlovu who made it two for the University side in the 66th minute.

The Senegalese side tried getting back into the match but were denied by the reflexes of goalkeeper, Thandeka Ngcobo who kept a historic clean sheet for her side.