HIBAPRESS-RABAT-CAF
Sundowns and CBE both lost their opening matches and will look to bounce back as they clash, in their second Group B match.
This is the first meeting between the teams.
Sundowns will face an East African team in the final for the fourth time. They have already faced Kenyan team Vihiga Queens in 2021 and Tanzanian duo Simba Queens and JKT Queens in 2022 and 2023.
In their first finals match of 2021, Sundowns faced Kenyan side, Vihiga Queens, in their first group match, where they won 1-0. Subsequently, they beat Simba Queens 1-0 in the semi-finals in 2022 and in 2023, they beat JKT Queens 2-0 in the group stage.
Sundowns will now have faced East African opponents in all four of their finals appearances.
This is the fifth meeting between teams from the COSAFA and CECAFA regions, with the Southern teams having won three of the previous four clashes.
As well as Sundowns’ three matches against East African opponents, the only other meeting between COSAFA and CECAFA teams saw the Simba Queens beat the Green Buffaloes of Zambia 2-0 in the semi-final. of groups 2022.
Mamelodi Sundowns Women’s Club
Sundowns lost their opening match against FC Masar of Egypt, losing 1-0. Sundowns’ defeat to Masar ended their 9-match unbeaten streak in the final group matches (W8 D1). Sundowns’ defeat against Masar ended their 6-game group game winning streak, it was only the second group game they had failed to win with their last group game in 2021 being a 0-0 draw against AS FAR. Sundowns’ loss to Masar was only their second finals defeat with the 2022 final. Sundowns’ defeat to Masar was only the fourth time in 16 finals matches that they had failed to score , with 0-0 draws in 2021 against AS FAR and Malabo Kings, where they won the latter match on penalties as well as their 4-0 defeat against AS FAR in of the 2022 final. Sundowns’ defeat against Masar means that in the last two editions of the final, the defending champions lost their opening match, as the 2022 reigning champions AS FAR lost their opening match in 2023. If Sundowns fail to win, they will have failed to win successive matches in the final for the second time, having previously failed to win successive matches in open play Only once was in 2021 where they drew their final group match against AS FAR and then beat Malabo Kings on penalties in the semi-final. Ethiopia is the third East African country, along with Kenya and Tanzania, that Sundowns will face their clubs against. Ethiopia will become the tenth country whose clubs were faced by Sundowns in the final, along with Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and Tanzania. Excluding the 2021 final, when all teams were making their tournament debuts, in the 2022, 2023 and 2024 tournaments, Sundowns faced seven debutants. Their record in eight of these matches is 7 wins, 0 draws and 1 loss. They have faced SC Casablanca twice in 2023. Sundowns’ loss to Masar, including in the 2021 final, is their first against a tournament debutant. Sundowns managed two shots on target in their match against Masar, the fewest in 13 matches in the tournament. The last time they had fewer attempts on target was in a 0-0 draw in their final group match against AS FAR in 2021. In their defeat in the opening match against Masar, Sundowns completed 357 passes while their opponents managed only 127. In their opening match against Masar, Lelona Daweti created six chances for Sundowns. This is the highest number after the first match day by a player in a single match in the current final stages. Sundowns have scored seven goals in total in their last three matches in the second group of the final tournament without conceding a goal. Melinda Kgadiete played her 14th final match for Sundowns in their opening match against Masar. She has now participated in four editions of the final.
Central Bank of Ethiopia
CBE were beaten 3-0 in their opening match against Nigerian side Edo Queens. CBE’s 3-0 loss to Edo Queens in their opening match was the biggest defeat for a CECAFA region team in their first finals match. All three qualified teams from the CECAFA regions won their second group match after starting with a defeat. In 2021, Kenyans Vihiga Queens lost their first match against Sundowns, but bounced back and beat AS FAR 2-0 in their second match. They lost their third match against the Rivers Angels of Nigeria. In 2022, Simba Queens lost their first match against AS FAR 1-0, but won their next two against Determine Girls and Green Buffaloes to reach the final four. In 2023, JKT Queens lost their opening match against Sundowns but won their second match against hosts Athletico Abidjan. Another debutant who failed to win their opening match and progress beyond the group stage was SC Casablanca who drew their first match of 2023 against Athletico Abidjan and was ultimately a finalist. In their opening match loss to Edo Queens, CBE goalkeeper Tariuka Balcha faced six shots and made three saves, the second most saves made by a goalkeeper in of the first match day. In their opening match, CBE’s Tarikuwa Yukura touched the ball 63 times, the most of her teammates. In their opening match, CBE’s Emebet Adisu completed 42 passes, the most of her teammates.
