By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Moroccan side ASFAR Club thrashed defending Champion Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies of South Africa 4-0 in the final match of the 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League to emerge new Champions with striker Ibtissam Jraidi’s remarkable hat-trick securing a huge final victory for the host.
Fatima Tagnaout opened scoring for the Moroccan side from the spot in 15th minute of the first half after ASFAR Club player was brought down in Sundowns Ladies vital area as Togolese referee, Vincentina Amedomé immediately pointing to the spot.
The left-footed Tagnaout who also had hands in all the three other goals, stepped forward to take a well placed penalty which made the different for the Moroccan side in the first half.
In the second half, Ibtissam Jraidi scored in the 54th, 88th and in the added minutes to complete a remarkable hat-trick that secured ASFAR victory against defending Champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies in the final as the final score stood ASFAR Club 4-0 Mamelodi Sundowns.
At the end of the game, it was ASFAR and their home supporters who turned Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, a carnival of some sort on Sunday while it was a gloomy night for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and the handful of their fans who made it to Morocco to cheer the team including the club’s owner and President of CAF Dr. Patrice Motsepe and President of South African Football Federation (SAFA), Dr. Danny Jordaan.
Full-Time: ASFAR’s Goalscorers:
• Fatima Tagnaout ⚽15′ (P).
• Ibtissam Jraidi ⚽54′, ⚽88′, ⚽90+2′.
The club won their first CAF Women’s Champions League title in the second edition of the competition.
Earlier, Nigeria’s champions Bayelsa Queens beat Simba Queens SC on Saturday in Rabat to clinch CAF Women’s Champions League Bronze medal in their first appearance in the two-year old competition debuted in 2021.
Eight teams participated in the second edition of the only continental women’s football club competition which is still in the experimental stage to determine if it could be expanded in the near future depending on its viability and return on investment.
The teams are ASFAR Club of Morocco, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, Bayelsa Queens of Nigeria, and Simba Queens of Tanzania. Others are Wadi Degla Women’s of Egypt,
Determined Girls of Liberia, Green Buffaloes of Zimbabwe and TP Mazembe Women’s of DR. Congo.
