
* COSAFA qualifiers set to take place in Durban from August 30 to September 8 with Malawi represented by Ntopwa FC
* Whose Group A comprises reigning champions, Green Buffaloes of Zambia; Botswana’s Double Action Ladies and Lesotho Defence Force
CAFonline & Maravi Express
Mali’s AS Mande secured the first spot in Africa’s premier women’s club competition, the CAF Women’s Champions League, Cote d’Ivoire 2023 that is scheduled for between November 5-19 this year.
The Mandekas, as the Malian side is popularly known, secured their ticket to Cote d’Ivoire after winning the CAF Champions League WAFU Zone A qualifiers played in Liberia where they had to fend off stiff competition against hosts, Determine Girls, Dakar Sacre Coeur of Senegal as well as Sierra Leone’s Mogwemo Queens in a round robin structured qualifier played between August 5-13.
The southern African qualifiers are set for Durban from August 30 to September 8 with Malawi represented by Ntopwa FC, whose Group A comprises reigning champions, Green Buffaloes of Zambia; Botswana’s Double Action Ladies and Lesotho Defence Force.
Group B has Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa); Olympic de Moroni (Comoros); Costa do Sol (Mozambique) and Young Buffaloes (Eswatini).

Malawi’s Ntopwa FC

Green Buffaloes of Zambia

Inaugural champions Mamelodi Sundowns
Meanwhile, the hard-fought achievement by AS Mande sees them return to Africa’s top-flight women’s club competition, having made an appearance at the inaugural edition in 2021, where they finished bottom of Group A in a pool that consisted of the eventual runner-up Hasaacas Ladies of Ghana, who lost 2-0 against Mamelodi Sundowns in the final.
Having missed last year’s edition in Rabat, the West Africans will be determined to return to the competition a much stronger and competitive side when they take on Africa’s best women’s football clubs in Cote d’Ivoire.
Association Sportive (AS) de Mande is a Malian women’s football club based in the capital of Bamako, competing in the Malian Women’s Championship, which is the country’s women’s first division league organised by the Malian Football Association.
Their domestic titles are Malian Women’s Championship (2017, 2021) and Malian Women’s Cup (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016) with regional titles being the CAF Champions League WAFU A qualifiers champions (2021, 2023).

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Malawi’s Ntopwa FC — who are making their maiden appearance at the qualifiers — are the 2022 FAM National Women’s Championship after beating Lilongwe-based side Ascent Academy 5-3 in post-match penalties at the Mpira Stadium in May with the individual awards going to their mentor Isaac Jomo Osman as the Best Coach.
Zambia’s Green Buffaloes have become regulars of the tournament, along with Botswana’s Double Action, who are both making their third appearance.
The inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League champions are Mamelodi Sundowns, who claimed the 2021 title are expected to carry the favourites tag in Group B alongside Olympic de Moron — who finished fourth at last year’s edition after impressive performances that saw them advance from the group stages in their maiden appearance.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals to determine the two teams that will battle it out for the single spot reserved for the COSAFA region at the CAF Women’s Champions League set to take place in Cote d’Ivoire between November 5-19.

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