ADDIS ABABA: THE country’s envoy in the CECAFA Women’s Champions League qualifier, Simba Queens’ hope to secure a spot in the CAF Women Champions League vanished into thin air after losing the semi-final match against Kenya Police Bullets.
Simba Queens kicked the first semis game at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa in a slow tempo and saw their dream to secure a spot in the final hit a ditch after their opponents took the match lead in the 29th minute after Lucy Jira put Police Bullets ahead.
The scorer utilised Simba Queens goalkeeper Caroline Rufa’s blunder of failure to clear an aerial ball and tap the ball into the back of the net to give her side the match lead.
The goal came to the Queens as a wake call as they started building up attacks to their opponent’s goal searching for an equaliser and their effort bore fruit in the 39th minute through Corazon Aquino who tapped in from close range from a beautiful run by Elizabeth Wambui cross.
The two sides went into the breather tied on 1-1 goals and in the resumption, the Queens took the match in the 56th once again it was Corazon Aquino who charged and shot past Annedy Kundu to score her second goal.
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Police Bullets fought back and in the 61st minute, Diana Wacera brought the crowd off their feet with a stinging header from a well-delivered set piece from the edge of the box to level the matter for her side making the score 2-2.
With supporters of both expecting that the match might be decided through extra time or even penalty shootouts, in the 82nd minute Rebecca Akinyi produced fireworks, rounding Simba’s goal to slot into the empty net and giving Police Bullets FC the winner of the match.
The victory for Kenya’s Police Bullets FC saw them cruise into the final where they will battle for the spot to represent the CECAFA zone in the CAF WCL against the winner of the second semi-final game between host team Ethiopia’s CBE FC and Uganda’s Kawempe Muslim ladies FC which was to be held later yesterday at the same venue.
