FC Ongos will open the CAF Women’s Champions League/Cosafa Qualifier 2024 on Thursday when they battle Zimbabwean debutants Herentals Queens in Blantyre, Malawi.
The competition will see eight teams battle it out for a place in the continental finals to be staged later this year.
Mamelodi Sundowns have already qualified as the African champions, but who will join them from the Cosafa region is the big question.
Namibian champions Ongos were part of the inaugural championship in 2021 as Tura Magic when they had a horror draw against 2022 winners Green Buffaloes and eventual finalists Black Rhinos Queens from Zimbabwe.
There is a sense of déjà vu as they meet Buffalos again in Group A after facing Herentals, who are on debut and an unknown factor.
The Buffaloes will be favourites to advance to the semi-finals.
Throw in South African side University of the Western Cape (UWC) and they have three tough fixtures. UWC have finished runners-up in the South African league for the last three seasons behind powerhouse Sundowns and have plenty of quality in their side too.
Winning the first game will be a huge boost for the sides as it puts them on the front foot in a tough pool.
GROUP B
Malawian qualifiers Ascent Academy will have ‘home’ advantage, even if they are based in Lilongwe, with local fans likely to get behind them as they wave the country’s flag.
Young Buffaloes from Eswatini return for a third successive championship but have failed to manage a win to date and will be looking to make a bit of history this time round.
The other two clubs are debutants Gaborone United, who are now led by coach William Monene, the man in charge of compatriots Double Action when they made the final in 2023.
He knows what it takes to go deep into this tournament.
União Desportiva de Lichinga from Mozambique are the other new team, taking over from last year’s third-placed side Costa do Sol. This will be a big step up in quality for them.
This group may not be as stacked with potential winners, but that does not make it any easier to call and it could well be a fight to the final round of fixtures to see who emerges as the top two. – Adapted from Cosafa
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