Continental debutants, Edo Queens who had a Cinderella performance on Saturday with a stunning and dramatic comeback that eliminated defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns have had two of their players named among the Best 11 players at the CAF Women’s League.

The two players are Cordeila Odoma and Emem Essien. Only hosts, AS FAR of Morocco produced more players in the Bext 11 squad named by the CAF Technical Study Group that comprises various African football experts, including coaches, analysts, and technical advisors.

However, the Best 11 is headlined by four AS FAR players, two each from tournament debutants, Edo Queens as well as FC Masar.

South Africa duo of Mamelodi Sundowns and University of the Western Cape (UWC) as well as DR Congo’s TP Mazembe make up the final 11.

AS FAR goalkeeper Khadija ER-Rmichi, with just one concession in the group stages, rightfully earns the goalkeeper position.

AS FAR’s Nouhaila Benzina, alongside Shadia Nankya of FC Masar, make up the central pairing, while Edo Queens’ Cordeila Odoma and Karabo Dhlamini of Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies complete the back four as full-backs.

UWC’s highly experienced Amogelang Motau anchors the midfield, just behind the attacking pair of AS FAR’s Sanaa Mssoudy and Sandrine Niyonkuru of FC Masar.

The attacking trio is led by Edo Queens’ lethal Emem Essien, who is assisted by AS FAR teenage-star, Doha El Madani as well as Lacho Marta of TP Mazembe.

The CAF Technical Study Group also confirmed the best performing players and coach for the group stages as follows:

Top Goalscorer: AS FAR’sDoha El Madani (5 goals) 

Best Player: AS FAR’s Sanaa Mssoudy

Best Goalkeeper: AS FAR’s Khadija Er-Rmichi

Best Coach: FC Masar’s Ahmad Ramadhan

The tournament enters the exciting knockout stages this  Tuesday, when Edo Queens takes on TP Mazembe at 16h00 Local Time before former champions AS FAR take on FC Masar at 19h00 Local Time.

For getting to the semi-finals of the CAF Women’s League, the first by any Nigerian club, the Edo Queens have won for themselves, $300,000. That is the minimum amount they will get if they don’t progress to the final.

Even if they lose their semi-final match to DR Congo’s TP Mazembe on Tuesday afternoon, the Edo Queens will have the opportunity to feature in the losers’ final match. If they win that, their purse will increase to $350,000.

If they win the semi-final match, their minimum take-home will be $400,000. If they don’t limit their ambition and ultimately win the title, Edo Queens will return to Nigeria with not just the trophy, but also the prize money ofUSD 600 000, the biggest earning by any Nigerian women’s football club.

In a dramatic twist of events in Casablanca on Saturday, Edo Queens crushed Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ hopes of defending their CAF Women’s Champions League title with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory to not only secure their place in the semi-finals but eliminate the defending champions. 

After a 24th-minute goal by Melinda Kgadiete thanks to a Karabo Dlamini assist, Sundowns held the slender lead until the dying moments of the match before Emem Essien’s equaliser in the referee’s added time saw the South African’s title hopes dashed. 

With Queens needing a victory, the late strike was enough to see them through. 

The nail was officially hammered in the defending champions’ coffin after Mary Mamudu pounced on some questionable defending from a set piece to fire the Nigerians into the lead and seal an unforgettable victory over the defending champions in the last seconds of added time. 

In a simultaneous Group B fixture on Saturday, fellow debutants FC Masar also registered a victory over Central Bank of Ethiopia in their final group match to successfully book their place in the semi-finals.

The Egyptians’ fairy tale run continues in the CAF Women’s Champions League, with a historic berth into the semi-finals that will see them remain in contention for a dream continental title. 

After a nervy start, the Egyptians grabbed the all-important lead through Sandrine Niyonkuru in the 24^th minute ahead of the break.

With victory well in sight, Masar extended their lead towards the closing minutes thanks to Yassmine Zezo’s 85^th minute strike that sealed the victory for the academy side.

CBE did find a consolation goal in referee’s added time with Senaf Wakuma finding the back of the net in the dying seconds of the match.

With tournament hosts, AS FAR as well as TP Mazembe both securing their places on Friday, Queens and Masar’s respective victories officially marks the battle lines for the semi-finals of the competition set to take place on Tuesday, 19 November.  

Edo Queens will kick off the semi-finals in the earlier fixture when they face off against TP Mazembe, before a North African battle between hosts, AS FAR and FC Masar concludes the semi-finals to decide the last two standing teams of the competition.

CAF Women’s Champions League Semi-Final Fixtures

16h00 | Edo Queens vs TP Mazembe

19h00 | AS FAR vs FC Masar