CAF ChampionsLeague draw Thursday
Ntopwa Super Queens will know their Women’s Champions League opponents on Thursday when Cosafa conducts the draw for the competition in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Malawi women’s football national champions are among eight teams that will go into the pot during the draw.
A statement from Cosafa states that the eight teams will be pooled into two groups with defending champions Green Buffaloes and runners-up Mamelodi Sundowns as top seeds.
The top two teams in each of the pools will advance to the semi-finals.
The statement reads in part: “Zambian side Green Buffaloes were the second winners in 2022, edging Sundowns on penalties.
“They [Green Buffaloes and Sundowns] will be in the field again this year as the top two seeds, heading up Groups A and B.
“Double Action Ladies of Botswana and Olympic De Moroni of Comoros also return for another year.
“The four other clubs in the field in 2023 are Young Buffaloes of e-Swatini, Lesotho Defence Force of Lesotho, Ntopwa FC of Malawi and Costa Do Sol of Mozambique.
Young Buffaloes return for the second year, having lost both pool games in 2022 while Lesotho Defence Force played in the inaugural competition in 2021 and took a single point from their three pool games.
Costa Do Sol are back for the second year in a row, having lost both games in 2022 while Malawi’s Ntopwa FC make their debut and are the first club from the country to play in the competition.
Ntopwa coach and patron Isaac Osman said they are ready to face any team.
He said: “When you enter such competitions, you have to be prepared to play any team.”
The competition, which will be staged in Durban, South Africa from August 30 to September 8, will be a qualifier for the CAF Women’s Champions League to be hosted by Ivory Coast later this year.
South African side Mamelodi Sundowns were the inaugural winners in 2021 as they defeated Black Rhinos Queens in the final and then went on to claim continental glory by lifting the trophy in the maiden CAF Women’s Champions League that was held in Egypt in 2021.
The champions will represent the region at the continental finals.
