By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
After eliminating the defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa from the 4th edition of the Confederation of African Football Women’s Champions League (CAFWCL) at weekend, Edo Queens’ next important task is to beat Tout Puissant Mazembe otherwise called TP Mazembe in the first semi-final clash billed for Stade Larbi Zaouli in Casablanca on Tuesday.
The last time out, two extra time goals scored by forwards Peace Emem Essien (90+5′) and substitute Mary Mamudu (90+11′) ensured that Edo Queens came from behind to beat Sundowns 2-1 even when the South Africans had held on to the 24′ goal scored by Melinda Kgadiete till five minutes into the added time before they collapsed like a pack of cards.
The victory sent the Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL) champions to the semi-final in their debut appearance in the competition while the two-time CAFWCL champions crashed out of the tournament.
Before defeating Sundowns, Edo Queens had thrashed hapless Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) FC 3-0 in the opening Group B tie and later played out a barren draw against FC Masar of Egypt in the second group match.
But for Edo Queens, the job is not yet done as they have from the beginning of the competition set their sights on the CAFWCL trophy and to get the hands to the top prize, they will have to beat TP Mazembe in Tuesday’s first semi-final encounter.
However, the Congolese champions who finished 2nd in Group A behind AS FAR of Morocco with six points from two wins and a loss to FAR in the group stage will not be a pushover side because they have the experience of playing in the competition for the second time.
Also, TP Mazembe boasts of quality players recruited from across Africa in their fold like Elena Oyana Obono from Equatorial Guinea; Malawian international, Sabina Thom; Lacho Marta, Merveille Kanjinga and Esther Dikisha who have been in top form in recent time and can wreck havoc on the opponents hence Edo Queens have a huge task in their hands when both meet on Tuesday.
It is therefore going to be another tough match for Edo Queens who played the match of their lives last Sunday against the defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns as they came from the position of defeat within a minute to full time to knocking out the two-time CAFWCL champions.
Interestingly, Edo Queens head coach Moses Aduku who has done well so far although he is coaching from a distance, that is a matter for another day, his work has shown by the team has performed in the face of strong oppositions like FC Masar and Sundowns.
Aduku is aware of the danger ahead and has told anyone who cares to listen that the West African Football Union (WAFU-B) champions remain focused on their next challenge, acknowledging the tough task ahead and highlighting the need to improve their goal conversion rate.
Said he: “One more game to the final; it won’t be easy, and we are going to go into our plans for the next game. It will be tough, we know”.
“Honestly, we need to work on our goal conversion. Clear-cut chances that we should have scored; we will work to improve on that,” the coach assured.
It has to be said that Edo Queens’ impressive run in the competition so far has been fueled by the exceptional performance of hotshot Peace Emem Essien who has scored two goals in three matches and crowned it with Woman Of The Match Award in the last game against Sundowns.
“Essien is a determined and skilled player. If you look at her size, you would underrate her, but she is very crafty. She’s been crucial for us,” Aduku said of Essien.
Luckily, Edo Queens has a handful of quality players including the eight national team invitees like striker Folashade Ijamilusi who has carried her scoring form from Super Falcons versus Algeria in Lagos recently to Morocco and has scored in the first match against CBE.
Other Falcons invitees are goalkeeper Monle Oyono and defenders Miracle Usani, Blessing Ilivieda and Comfort Folorunsho as well as midfielders Chioma Olise, Amarachi Odoma and forward Goodness Osigwe.
Yet there are other good players in the team such as Mary Magadelene-Anjor, Vera Samuel, Doria Ohis and scorer of the winning goal against Sundowns, Mary Mamudu who showed predator’s instincts in the opponents’ vital box before hitting the roof of the goalpost.
Edo Queens have become the second Nigerian club to reach the semi-finals of the championship in their first appearance just as they will now make history by becoming the first Nigerian club to reach the finals of the competition.
Infact, the team has extra motivation to go all the way to the finals if they remember the mouth-watering Prize Money of USD 600,000 for the winning team; USD 400,000 for the Runners-up; USD 350,000 for 3rd place winner and USD 300,000 for the 4th place team.
As it stands, Edo Queens stand to rake in huge amount of money because the worst position they will finish is the 4th place which is
reserved for the loser of the 3rd place play-off.
In this case, Edo Queens are condemned to approach the encounter with all seriousness it deserves when they confrontat TP Mazembe in Casablanca on Tuesday.
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