By S. Siapha Mulbah
A.S Mende Women Football Club of Mali have drawn inches closer to claiming the 2023 West African Football Union (WAFU), Zone ‘A’ Women’s Champions League Qualifiers.
The Malian girls, after missing out on the chance to represent the zone in the last edition of the competition, bounced back with more zest and focus, making their Confederation of African Football Women’s Champions league dream a reality.
They are currently atop the zone with four points and three goals in two matches. In their opening fixture against the defending Champions of the WAFU Zone A, it was a momentous celebratory scene when Oumou Kone and Maimouna Traore scored three goals between them.
After a goalless draw of the first half during the Monday August 7, 2023 encounter at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville, a halftime technical conversation with Liberian Coach, Moustapha Traore, beefed up the performance of the team, especially Captain, Fatoumata Diarra.
Diarra got more robust in carrying her attacks for AS Mande and giving more accurate passes, creating clear cut chances for the team. She provided two assists as Oumou Kone got a brace, in addition to a goal from Maimouna Traore.
On Match Day two, AS Mande settled for a goalless draw against Sierra Leonean outfit, Mogbewmo Queens, who sit third in the zone. The top two spots in the zone are being occupied by AS Mende and AS Dakar. The two French sides are to complete the group race against each other on Match Day Three.
With four points each, the Francophone clubs are the best placed teams to produce this year’s champions for the women’s champions’ league. A win for either side ensures top dog status, while a draw would favor AS Mande more.
The current first placed team in the zone, As Mande have a goal difference of two, while AS Dakar sit slightly inferior, with a goal difference of one.
Sierra Leonean club, Mogbewmo Queens, and host of the WAFU Women Champions League Qualifiers, Determine Girls of Liberia, are up against each other on Saturday, August 12, 2023, to climax the qualifiers.
Both sides are level on one point each and have no chance of qualifying for the upcoming edition of the CAF Women Champions.
