UWC stumble in their CAF Women’s Champions League opener

The Capetonians, who are making their debut in the tournament, fell 2-0 to DR Congo’s TP Mazembe in what appeared to be a tightly contested affair in the first half, only for UWC to collapse in the second stanza.

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This is Mazembe’s second showing in the competition, they were last here in 2022. The Congolese side used their experience to good effect as they overpowered the CAF Women’s Champions League debutants with two second half strikes – 61’ and 77’ – and the match was over as a contest. The goals came from Lacho Marta and Merveille Kanjinga.

No matter how much UWC tried, they did not trouble the opposition goalkeeper, Fideline Ngoy.

The South Africans now have a mountain to climb to stay alive in the competition when they face Aigles de la Medina on Tuesday in their second match. A negative result will mean curtains for the students.

 The Senegalese also head into the clash against UWC as wounded tigers after they suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of hosts and 2022 champions AS FAR in a later Group A match.

Teenager Doha El Madani scored a brace while captain Aziz Rabbah secured all three points with a penalty strike in the first half to take command of the game by the halfway mark.

Things went from bad to worse for Aigles when they conceded a second penalty. Adama Sane was sent off for a foul in the box, but Rabbah failed to convert this time around. It ended 3-0 to AS FAR who shot to the top of the table, followed by TP Mazembe. UWC is third and Aigles is fourth.