Buffaloes lose out on CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA Qualifiers

By Benjamin Nyirenda

Despite beating the Lesotho side Kick4Life Ladies FC, Eswatini representatives Young Buffaloes failed to qualify for the semifinals of the CAF Women’s Champions League, which is hosted in South Africa at the UJ AW Muller Stadium.

On Monday, Young Buffaloes defeated Kick4Life Ladies 3-1, hoping to be the best second-placed team, but it was not to be.

On Wednesday, the four teams that qualified for the semi finals were confirmed, with two-time winners Mamelodi Sundowns taking top spot in Group A on Tuesday and will face Zesco Ndola Girls from Zambia in the second semifinal on Friday at 15h00
CAT (13h00 GMT), 

while Group B winners Gaborone United Ladies FC from Botswanaface the top team in Group C, Costa do Sol from Mozambique at 12h00 CAT (10h00GMT).

After knowing the outcome of the semi finals draw, Buffaloes coach Fisiwe Hlope told Eswatini Daily News that it was unfortunate that they could not qualify for the semifinals despite putting up a fight and getting a win against Kick4Life Ladies on Monday.

“We did our best in this tournament, but it was not to be. We lost it in the game against Gaborone United Ladies when we lost 1-0. If we had drawn that game and win the second one like we did, then we could have stood the chance to qualify for the knockout stages.

That was our target, but it’s unfortunate we couldn’t achieve that. But if we look at the whole performance in general at this tournament, we did very well, and there are lessons which we have learnt from here which will help us a lot when we go home and compete once again.

The players have gained experience, and that is vital going forward,” Hlope told Eswatini Daily News.