The stage for the upcoming 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League has officially been set after the draw was conducted in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on Monday.
This will be the third edition of the competition, which was launched in 2021 with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns crowned champions.
This will also be the third successive appearance in the competition for Masandawana, sharing the accolade with AS FAR of Morocco as the only two teams never to miss the tournament since its inception.
In this year’s competition, the Brazilians find themselves in Group A, alongside hosts and tournament debutants, Athlético FC Abidjan, as well as Moroccan side Sporting Club Casablanca and Tanzania’s JKT Queens.
Sundowns coach Jerry ‘Kappa’ Tshabalala expressed his satisfaction with the draw, however emphasising the importance of a cautious approach in a group that pits his charges with three tournament debutants.
“This is indeed a very interesting group because we are placed alongside three debutant teams, all eager to showcase their quality and make a mark. We anticipate tough matches and must approach them with caution. It is essential that we stay focused and play to our strengths while respecting our opponents. Every team in this group will be highly motivated, so we must bring our best performance to the pitch.” said Tshabalala on the club’s website.
Tshabalala stressed the importance of this year’s competition following the disappointment in last year’s final.
“We are still licking our wounds after last year’s final against AS FAR. It is so important to redeem ourselves and it remains fresh on our minds. We have to prove that it was not a fluke that we were inaugural champions. The standards of South African football are on the rise, and we need to continue to set the bar high. There is also a possibility of the Club World Cup, and we need to put ourselves in a position that whenever the competition is sanctioned, we will be the ones in attendance,” He added.
Group B features the reigning Moroccan champions, AS FAR, Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa, Equatorial Guinea’s Huracanes, and Mali’s AS Mandé.
The round-robin group stage will see each team play their three opponents before the top two in each group advance to the semi-finals.
The tournament will kick-off in Cote d’Ivoire on 5 November and the final will be played on 19 November.
