By Victor Kanayo
Nigerian representatives Bayelsa Queens pulled their weight to qualify for the group stage of the 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League by defeating Ampem Darkoa Ladies of Ghana 3-0 in the WAFU B tournament held in Cote d’ivoire.
Three first-half goals from Joseph Miracle (12), Flourish Sebastine (19), and Chinyere Igbomalu (42) secured a convincing win and the WAFU Zone B title for the Nigerians.
The win comes as a consolation to millions of Nigerian football fans on a day the Super Falcons got thrashed 4-0 by USA in an international friendly in Kansas City and Super Eagles B losing 5-4 on penalties to Ghana to miss out on 2022 African Nations Championship in Algeria early next year.
Bayelsa Queens have now joined the other seven teams that will vie for honors at the second edition of the competition in Morocco between October and November 2022.
The qualified teams are AS FAR (hosts), Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Green Buffaloes (Zambia), Wadi Degla (Egypt), Determine Girls (Liberia), Simba (Tanzania), and Bayelsa Queens (Nigeria).
The winners of the 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League will automatically qualify for the 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League.
Mamelodi Sundowns are the defending champions after claiming the title in the first edition.
The CAF Women’s Champions League is an annual international women’s association football club competition in Africa organized by the Confederation of African Football, involving the continent’s top women’s club teams.
It is the female counterpart of the CAF Champions League.
Following Bayelsa Queens qualification, there have been celebration in Yenogoa, Bayelsa state capital, South-south Nigeria and other parts of the country.
