Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies reached their third successive CAF Women’s Champions League final on Wednesday night, thanks to a 1-0 win over Morocco’s ASFAR at Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly.
In what was a repeat of last year’s final, Boitumelo Rabale’s second-half strike proved to be the difference between both sides in a tough encounter.
More impressively, Banyana Ba Style has not conceded a single goal in this year’s competition and are currently the top scorers with seven goals.
An elated Coach Jerry Tshabalala praised his team’s resilience and their commitment to sticking to the game plan throughout the match.
“We analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of our opponents as usual and we noticed that they are typically strong in the first 60 minutes of the game. Hence, my halftime team talk focused on capitalizing on their weaknesses and we achieved the desired result. Kudos to my team for sticking with the game plan. Despite our victory, they remain a very tactical side and we were tested today, but we came out on top,” Coach Jerry said.
The Downs coach once again praised his team’s experience in clinching the victory, stating, “We are blessed with several players who have played at the highest level. The core of our team was part of the squad that dazzled at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations last year. Their experience adds significant value to our side because they have played alongside top-level players. It makes a huge difference in our team and I am pleased about that.”
Coach Tshabalala further expressed his delight with the home crowd, who have provided immense support throughout the tournament.
“Korhogo has been good to us and the people love Mamelodi Sundowns. They support football, and their cheers gave us the motivation to push in this game. We thank them for their support and I am glad that we are going to be playing the finals in Korhogo. I love the people of this great city, and we are hoping for more of their cheers in the final,” the Downs coach concluded.
Melinda Kgadiete, who came off the bench and duly impressed with her dazzling runs, expressed her delight with the result.
“It was a great performance from the team and a well-deserved win. We fought hard for this victory and we showed that we wanted it more. I am happy that we are through to the final yet again. There is so much more to come from this team, and collectively, we are all determined to win this tournament,” Melinda stated.
The 1-0 win meant that the Brazilians have ended their two-game winless streak against the Moroccans. They played out a 0-0 draw during the 2021 Group Stages and suffered a loss in last year’s final.
Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies will face Sporting Club Casablanca in Sunday’s final at the Stade Amadou Gon Coulibaly in Korhogo, with kick-off is set for 22:00 CAT. The two teams met in the second Group A match, with Banyana Ba Style winning 1-0.
