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Edo Queens coach, Moses Aduku, says beating defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns in their last group game of the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League is non-negotiable as they hope to reach the semi-finals of the tournament, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Nigerian champions and Egyptian club Masar FC battled to a barren draw in their second game on Wednesday, leaving them with four points and without the needed victory to advance to the next round.
No thanks to Sundowns’ 4-0 thrashing of Ethiopian club CBE, the group remains wide open, with the Nigerian side and Masar FC joint-top with four points, while Sundowns have three points.
Despite being joint-top of the group, Edo Queens are still walking tight rope as they must avoid defeat against Sundowns to reach the semi-finals.
Ahead of their last group game on Saturday, Aduku is aware of the task ahead of his team.
He said, “I said before that the eight teams here are capable of winning the title. Nobody is unbeatable,” Aduku said after the draw against Masar FC.
“The team we play next lost their first game to the opponents we drew. So, we respect them outside the field but on the field, it’s 90 minutes and we are condemned to win.”
The gaffer also praised his team for a good game in the goalless draw but rued their missed chances.
“I think we need to find our scoring boots. We had our chances but we did not take them, just as much as the opponents didn’t give us much space. My team played well. I think scoring was just the only problem against Masar.
“It wasn’t the result we wanted; we wanted to win but sometimes you win some and therefore, we wait and go for the next game. We believed winning this game would take us through to the semi-finals before the last game. We will prepare for the next game and we will come back stronger.”
While Edo Queens and Sundowns will do battle, Masar also need at least a draw against the winless CBE of Ethiopia to advance.
Edo Queens are the third Nigerian team to feature in the tournament after Rivers Angels in 2021 and Bayelsa Queens in 2022, with the country’s highest finish being a third-place record by the latter.
While coach Aduku has stated their mission of becoming the first Nigerian team to win the title, Edo Queens are already guaranteed a handsome $150,000 participating fee and will scoop more money as they progress in the competition that will see the winner smile home with $600,000, runners-up $400,000, and third-placed $35,000 aside from other monetary incentives.
