Bayelsa Queens battle defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns, as race for honours begins

Nigeria’s quest to extend its dominance in African women football to inter-club competitions begins today in Morocco with Bayelsa Queens meeting defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns.

It is one of the games of the second edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League, which kicked off in Marrakech at the weekend.

Apart from Mamelodi Sundowns, Bayelsa Queens will contend with six other teams from regional competitions in their race for the trophy.

The Nigerian champions arrived in Marakesh on Friday after spending a week in Casablanca, perfecting strategies for the competition.

Led by Coach Domo Okara, Bayelsa Queens got a perfect psychological boost ahead of the competition when they beat a local side 11-0 team on Thursday.

Bayelsa Queens’ second game is against TP Mazembe of Congo Democratic Republic on November 3 and round off their group stage campaign against Egypt’s Wadi Degla on November 6.

The teams have been placed into two groups of four teams, with two teams from each group qualifying for the semifinals.

The competition, holding at the Stade De Prince Heritier Moulay El Hassan Rabat Stadium, kicks off with Green Buffaloes of Zambia FC and Determines Girl of Liberia playing in the opening game.

The game between Simba Queens of Tanzania and AS FAR Ladies of Morocco is the second of the day, before Bayelsa Queens enter the fray against Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the third match of the day.

Curtains will fall on today’s proceedings with Mazembe of DR Congo tackling Wadi Degla of Egypt.

The competition, which began last year, is part of CAF’s efforts in developing women football in the continental.