Edo Queens coach Moses Aduku said his team were poised to end the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League on a high when they take on Masar FC of Egypt in the third-place match on Friday (today), PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Nigeria champion’s quest to reach Saturday’s final was halted on Tuesday by a deflating semi-final defeat to DR Congo side, TP Mazembe. Edo Queens led the game 1-0 until the final stages of the second half before eventually capitulating to a 3-1 defeat.
As a result, it means no Nigerian side has reached the final of the tournament which is in its fourth edition.
Ahead of today’s third-place match, Aduku remains upbeat that his ladies have moved past their disappointing semi-final defeat to TP Mazembe and are ready to take the consolation prize.
“Well, so far so good. We want to thank God for the place we found ourselves. We are not down and out yet, we are fighting for third place,” Aduku said in the pre-match interview.
“Yes, all the players were down, they were disappointed because it was not the result we wanted. The match was almost over, we lost concentration and when we ended the game the entire team was down but, of course, as a coach I had to talk to them.
“Today, if you come to camp, to our hotel you will not even know that we lost a game. The mindset of players is positive now and the energy is good, therefore, I know we are good and we are ready for the third-place game”, Aduku said.
“I am expecting my girls to go all out and see how they can win the bronze medal.”
Today’s game will be the second meeting between Edo Queens and Masar FC in the tournament, having battled to a goalless draw in the group stages.
“I know it’s not going to be an easy one, the Egyptian team is also good. The last time we played them it was goalless but I believe goalless will not give us a bronze. So, we need to go all out to win. We are putting finishing touches in our training and we go out to finish the battle”.
The NWFL champions will hope to emulate Bayelsa Queens’ third-place finish in the 2022 edition, and that will see them pocket $350,000 in participation fees while the winner gets $600,000.
Moroccan club ASFAR Rabat and TP Mazembe will compete for the top prize in the final on Saturday.
