Downs Ladies Learn CAFCL Opponents

Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies will face Olympic de Moroni of Comoros, Mozambican side Costa do Sol and Young Buffaloes from Eswatini in Group B of this season’s CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA Qualifiers.

The draw took place on Thursday, with Downs being drawn in Group B against familiar opponents. They defeated Costa do Sol 8-1 in the pool stages last year.

Meanwhile, Olympic de Moroni return for a second year having made the semi-finals in 2022, but ultimately they finished fourth.

Defending champions Buffaloes will take on Botswana side Double Action Ladies, Lesotho Defence Force and debutantes Ntopwa FC from Malawi in their pool.

The regional competition that will be staged in Durban from 30 August to 8 September.

The teams will face-off in a round-robin format with the top two sides in each pool advancing to the semi-finals. The winner of Group A will meet the runner-up in Group B, and vice-versa.

Only the club that wins this year’s qualifier will advance to the continental competition, which is scheduled to be held in the Ivory Coast from 5 to 19 November.

Sunowns were victorious in the inaugural COSAFA event in 2021 and then went on to be crowned queens of the continent in Egypt.

Buffaloes took regional honours last year but Sundowns also qualified for the finals in Morocco as holders, and lost in the final to home side AS FAR.