JKT Queens intensify CAF WCL drills

TANZANIA: THE country’s CAF Women’s Champions League flag bearers JKT Queens have stepped up their preparations for the finals to be staged early next month in Ivory Coast.

The competition is set to commence from November 5th to 19th, with eight teams battling for the golden opportunity to put hands on the coveted silverware.

Group A is made up of JKT Queens (Tanzania), Athletico FC Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Sporting Club Casablanca (Morocco) and Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa).

The country’s flag bearers will kick off their campaign against South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns on November 5, before facing hosts side Athletico FC Abidjan on November 8 and will wind up the group campaign against Sporting Club Casablanca on November 11.

Group A match will be staged at Korhogo, a city located in northern Ivory Coast.

In Group B, the competing teams are AS FAR Club (Morocco), Ampem Darkoa (Ghana), Huracanes FC (Equatorial Guinea) and AS Mande (Mali).

According to JKT Queens Information Officer Massau Bwire, the brave ladies are in camp grasping rules of engagement to stamp success at the contest.

He revealed that the ongoing camp is made up of two groups as one group of players is training with the national women’s team Twiga Stars which is gearing up to face Botswana in the Women’s Olympic Qualifiers on October 26th in the city.

“We have 16 players in Twiga Stars who are part of the squad to play against Botswana in the doubleheader qualifiers of the Olympics… the second match will be played in Botswana on October 31st.

“Simultaneously, the other group is also leaving no stone unturned under the guidance of skilled coaches who are making sure that the momentum among players is always high,” Bwire said.

He added that the prospect of doing well in their group is high based on the nature of drills they are undertaking, insisting that each player in the squad is determined to reach far.

“The fact that we won the women’s premier league title last season without losing any game plus clinching the CECAFA trophy in Uganda without conceding defeat speaks volumes that we are on the right track to fulfill our set up objectives in CAF WCL,” he said.

Bwire noted that JKT Queens is made up of Tanzanian players who are determined to work hard on the pitch and show the country that there is potential in investing in Tanzanian-born players.