The semifinal stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League 2022 CECAFA Zone qualifiers is finally set.In-form Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC who topped Group A will face Uganda’s She Corporate FC in the first semifinal clash on Wednesday, while Simba Queens FC (Tanzania) battle AS Kigali WFC (Rwanda) in the second encounter.
Table standing after the group stage at the on-going TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League 2022 qualifiers for the CECAFA Zone in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. pic.twitter.com/JB79qdY9hQ — Cecafaonline (@Cecafaonline) August 22, 2022
On Sunday Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC (CBE) scored second half goals to sink hard fighting AS Kigali WFC (Rwanda) 2-0 in a Group A match played at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Skipper Abera Loza increased her scoring tally in the tournament to nine goals, while Medina Awol Busser also got her name on the score sheet.
Heye Gizaw Birhanu, the CBE head coach said he was delighted that his team made it to the knockout stage after winning all the three group matches. “Our first objective is achieved and now we shift to the semifinal where we must plan differently since it is a knock out. But my team is ready to prove a point,” added Birhanu.
Burundi’s youthful side FOFILA PF also made sure they registered their first win in the last Group A match 3-0 against Warriors Queens FC in a match played at the Azam Complex, Chamazi.
Sakina Saidi gave the Burundi Women’s Premier League champions an early lead, while Charlotte Irankunda and Drazila Uweneza also scored later in the second half.
Alphonse Kanega, the FOFILA PF coach told CAFOnline.com that although his team failed to qualify for the knockout stage, it has been a good experience.
“We lost two matches and managed one win which has been good exposure for my young team. We faced teams that basically have national team players with a lot of experience” Alphonse Kanega, FOFILA PF Coach (Burundi)
On Saturday Uganda’s She Corporate FC sealed the last slot in the knockout stage with a 8-0 Group B win against Garde Republicaine FC (Djibouti).
Phiona Nabbumba and Favour Nambatya netted hat tricks, while Joanita Ainembabazi and Jackline Nakasi also scored for the Ugandan team. “We are happy to make it to the semifinal stage and shall prepare well for any team that we face,” Nabbumba, She Corporate’s leading scorer with five goals in the tournament, told Cafonline.
Simba Queens FC also picked a 4-0 victory against Yei Joint Stars (South Sudan) on Saturday in a second Group B match. Philomena Abakah scored a brace, while Vivian Aquino Carozone and Opa Clement Tukumbuke also scored.
Sebastian Leonard Nkoma, the Simba Queens FC coach made it clear that they will be a much different team in the knockout stage. “It will be a much different approach for us in the semifinal and this time we want to go past that stage because we failed in the semis last year,” added Nkoma.
The play-off and final will be played on August 27th at the Azam Complex, Chamazi.
