By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria’s representative Delta Queens Football Club of Asaba won’t play in the 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League in November in Cote d’ivoire.
This is after they failed to pick the sole ticket available to West Africa zone B in the just concluded elimination competition held in Benin, the Edo State capital.
The disqualification means Nigeria will miss out for the first time in the third edition of the upcoming championship after losing by a lone goal to Ampem Darkoa Ladies Football Club of Ghana.
How Nigeria Lost Out
The Nigerian side had kicked off the final match sitting deep in an attempt to ward off the free scoring Ghanaian Ladies and it paid off as the Ghanaians failed to re-enact their potency in front of goal.
The Asaba Ladies as they are fondly known, having curtailed the attacking forays of the Ghanaians, took the initiatives as they came out seeking to score but the attacking line up anchored by the duo of Chinasa Agoh and Folajomi Olabiyi failed to capitalize on the few Chances created.
The Ghanaians however scored the only goal of the grueling encounter in the 44th minute after Delta Queens goalkeeper Anderline Mgbechi’s failure to gather a free kick with Ophelia Amponsah heading home the loose ball that left fans at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City in shock.
Delta Queens came out looking for an equalizer in the second half with substitute Mercy Omokwo keeping the Ghanaian defence busy for the rest of the second half.
The Ghanaians swiftly adopted a defensive style and it paid off as Delta Queens could not unlock the defence line despite pinning Ampem Darkoa to their vital area for the second half.
Ampem Darkoa will now represent WAFU B Zone in the 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League which holds in November in Cote D’Ivoire.
Two different clubs – Rivers Angels and Bayelsa Queens had represented Nigeria and the zone in the first two editions of the championship.
