Online ReporterTadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE’S representatives in the Women’s CAF Champions League Cosafa qualifiers Herentals Queens have been seeded ahead of today’s draw.
The tournament takes place at the University of Johannesburg Campus in South Africa from August 22-31.
And the country’s dominant force who debuted in the competition last year has been separated from former African champions Mamelodi Sundowns and last year’s qualifiers’ finalists Gaborone United of Botswana.
It is their huge performance in last year’s edition in Blantyre, Malawi that has earned them the seed status. Vagoni Vebasa have been places in Group C with Mamelodi Sundowns leading Group A and Gaborone United seeded in Group B.
Ten teams will compete for the right to represent Southern Africa in the final CAF Women’s Champions League tournament scheduled for late this month.
Three of the unseeded teams will join Mamelodi Sundowns in Group A while Group B and Group C will have three teams each.
That means two top teams in Group A will join only the group leaders from Pool A and B in the semi-finals. All the seven unseeded teams have also previously participated in this competition at least once. They include Comoros’ Olympic de Moroni of Young Buffaloes of Eswatini, Ntopwa from Malawi, Mozambique giants Clube de Desportos da Costa do Sol, Kick4Life of Lesotho and Beauties FC from Namibia as well Zambia’s Zesco Ndola.
“To be seeded is both a blessing and a challenge. It means that relatively, we are one of the big teams in this tournament.
“Leading the group also means each team will play to beat you and in a way defy odds,” said Herentals Queens coach Simba Dedza.
“It’s really a big challenge but we are relishing it. There are no teams that we can say we want to avoid or to face. Basically, this is a tournament where you have to face whoever is drawn against you. It’s the rule and we are prepared to face whoever will be drawn against us.
“We have been playing in the league all along preparing for this tournament and it’s now here. We are eager to go out there and try to play well.
“We will try to represent the country well and be good ambassadors for Zimbabwe.”
Herentals Queens reached the semi-finals last year, losing 1-0 to Gaborone United who in turn were defeated in the final by University of Western Cape.
The latter failed to qualify this time around.
Mathew Masinge