Nigerian women’s champions Edo Queens secured a remarkable semi-final spot at the CAF Women’s Champions League.

In an exciting match at Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca, they overturned a deficit to defeat defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1.

Edo Queens, needing only a draw to advance, found themselves trailing early in the game when Melinda Kgadiete scored for Sundowns in the 24th minute.

However, their resilience shone through as Peace Essien equalized dramatically in the 95th minute, followed by Mary Mamudu’s close-range goal six minutes later, capitalizing on a defensive error to complete the comeback.

This victory allowed Edo Queens to finish at the top of Group B with seven points after three matches. They have recorded two wins and one draw, alongside a strong goal difference of +4.

In another match, Egypt’s Masar secured their semi-final spot by defeating Central Bank of Ethiopia Ladies 2-1 at Ben M’Hamed El Abdi Stadium in El Jadida. They also finished with seven points but had an inferior goal difference of +2.

The results meant Mamelodi Sundowns ended their campaign in third place with three points, while Central Bank of Ethiopia Ladies did not score any points and recorded a -8 goal difference.

Edo Queens had a strong start to the tournament with a commanding 3-0 victory over CBE and a draw against Masar in their second match, which set the stage for a thrilling final round.

Although they struggled to convert chances at times, their persistence paid off in stoppage time against a robust Sundown defence, ultimately leading to the elimination of the title holders.

Edo Queens now aim to make history as the first Nigerian side to reach the final of this prestigious continental competition. They will face TP Mazembe in the semi-final, building on the legacy established by Bayelsa Queens who are the first Nigerian women’s side to reach the knockout stage of the competition in 2022.

Additionally, they are the first
Nigerian club to progress without a loss at the finals, maintaining an unbeaten record in their initial three matches.

This tournament marked a historic moment for Sundowns, as they became the first defending champions to exit at the group stage after previously reaching the final in 2022 and the semi-finals in 2023.

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