MATCH STATS: Debutants FC 15 De Agosto and USFAS Bamako look for fast start
Debutants FC 15 De Agosto of Equatorial Guinea and USFAS Bamako of Mali will meet in their first match at the CAF Women’s Champions League when they clash in Group A on Saturday (kick-off 15:00 local time / 13:00 GMT).
This will be the third meeting at the finals between teams from Equatorial Guinea and Mali.
The two previous encounters between clubs from these nations both ended 1–1, with AS Mande representing Mali on each occasion — against Malabo Kings in 2021 and Hurucanes Ladies in 2023.
All previous meetings between Malian and Equatorial Guinean clubs have taken place in the group stage.
Whenever clubs from Equatorial Guinea and Mali have qualified, they have been drawn in the same group in all three editions.
FC 15 De Agosto – Key Statistics
· Third club from Equatorial Guinea to appear at the finals, following Malabo Kings (2021) and Hurucanes Ladies (2023).
· Malabo Kings’ fourth-place finish in 2021 remains the best performance by an Equatorial Guinean club.
· Hurucanes Ladies were eliminated in the 2023 group stage after one draw and two defeats.
· Equatorial Guinea becomes only the second nation, after Nigeria, to have had three different clubs qualify for the finals.
· Teams from Equatorial Guinea have yet to win an opening game at the finals.
o 2021: Malabo Kings lost to Hasaacas Ladies (Ghana).
o 2023: Hurucanes drew with AS Mande.
· Across eight matches at the finals, Equatorial Guinean teams have just one win: Malabo Kings’ 3–0 victory over Wadi Degla in 2021 (D3 L4).
· FC 15 De Agosto were domestic champions last season.
· Won the UNIFFAC qualifiers, scoring 18 goals and conceding 3 in 4 matches.
· Results in the qualifiers:
o 6–0 vs AC Colombe (Congo)
o 3–3 vs FA M’Sichana (DR Congo)
o 7–0 vs TP Elect-Sport (Chad)
o 3–0 vs FC Ebolowa (Cameroon)
· Ana Maria Nchama was top scorer in the qualifiers with 5 goals.
USFAS Bamako – Key Statistics
· Second Malian club to appear at the finals after AS Mande (2021 and 2023).
· AS Mande were eliminated in the group stage in both their appearances.
· AS Mande results at previous finals:
o 2021: Lost to Wadi Degla and Hasaacas Ladies, drew with Malabo Kings.
o 2023: Drew with Hurucanes, beat Ampem Darkoa 3–0, lost to AS FAR 2–0.
· A win for USFAS Bamako would mark the first time a Malian club starts the finals with a victory.
· No debutant from Mali has ever won their opening game; AS Mande lost theirs in 2021.
· Winners of the WAFU Zone A qualifiers, with three wins from four matches.
· Qualifier results:
o 2–0 vs Aigles de la Medina (Senegal)
o 0–1 vs Ram Kamara (Sierra Leone)
o 3–0 vs Determine Girls (Liberia)
o 2–0 vs Berewuleng FC (Gambia)
· Finished level on nine points with Aigles de la Medina but advanced on head-to-head record.
· Conceded only one goal throughout the qualifiers.