MATCH STATS: TP Mazembe begin CAF Women’s Champions League title defence against ASEC Mimosas

Defending champions TP Mazembe from DR Congo will open their CAF Women’s Champions League Egypt 2025 campaign against Cote d’Ivoire side ASEC Mimosas on Sunday (15h00 local time / 13h00 GMT).

This will be Mazembe’s fifth encounter against a tournament debutant, with a record of four games played, three wins, and one loss. Their previous victories over newcomers include 2-0 against the University of the Western Cape, 3-0 against Aigles de la Medina, and 3-1 against Edo Queens, all during the 2024 edition.

Their only defeat to a debutant came in 2022, a 3-0 loss to Nigeria’s Bayelsa Queens.

This fixture marks Mazembe’s fourth meeting with a West African side; they have won twice and lost once in those matchups.

TP Mazembe – Key Statistics

·       Defending champions after securing their first CAF Women’s Champions League title in 2024.

·       Making their third appearance after 2022 and 2024.

·       One of only three clubs to have won the title, along with AS FAR and Mamelodi Sundowns.

·       Aiming to become the first team in history to successfully defend the CAF Women’s Champions League crown.

·       Defending champions’ opening-match record: Played 3, Won 1, Lost 2.

·       The only defending champion to start with a victory was Mamelodi Sundowns in 2022, defeating Bayelsa Queens 2-1.

·       The last two defending champions lost their openers: AS FAR fell 2-1 to Ampem Darkoa in 2023, and Sundowns lost 1-0 to FC Masar in 2024. Both defeats came against debutant teams.

·       TP Mazembe are one of three clubs whose men’s and women’s teams have both featured in the CAF Champions League.

·       None of Mazembe’s eight matches at the finals have ended in a draw—all have produced a winner.

·       Began both previous campaigns with victories: 1-0 vs Wadi Degla (2022) and 2-0 vs UWC Ladies (2024).

·       Currently on a three-match winning run, having beaten Aigles de la Medina 4-0, Edo Queens 3-1, and AS FAR 1-0 in their final three games of 2024.

·       Only team to have lifted the title despite losing a group-stage match.

·       Group-stage record: Played 6, Won 3, Lost 3.

·       Overall record: Played 8, Won 5, Lost 3.

·       A win would mark the first time they’ve won two consecutive group-stage games.

·       Biggest win: 4-0 vs Aigles de la Medina (2024).

·       Heaviest defeat: 4-0 vs Mamelodi Sundowns (2022).

·       Coach Lamia Boumehdi seeks to become the first coach to retain the title and the second, after Mamelodi Sundowns’ Jerry Tshabalala, to reach back-to-back finals. Tshabalala won in 2021 and 2023 and finished runner-up in 2022.

ASEC Mimosas – Key Statistics

·       Debutants and Côte d’Ivoire’s second representatives after Athletico Abidjan (2023).

·       First Ivorian team to compete in a finals tournament held outside Côte d’Ivoire.

·       Athletico Abidjan failed to advance past the group stage in 2023, drawing 1-1 with SC Casablanca and losing 2-1 to JKT Queens and 3-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns.

·       This is the second time an Ivorian side faces a former champion; Athletico Abidjan previously lost to eventual winners Mamelodi Sundowns in 2023.

·       ASEC Mimosas’ men’s team are former CAF Champions League winners—victory here would make the club the fourth in Africa to have both their men’s and women’s teams crowned continental champions.

·       Qualified as WAFU Zone B champions: beat AS GNN (Niger) 2-1, USFA (Burkina Faso) 3-0, and Police Ladies (Ghana) 4-1 in the semi-finals.

·       Drew 1-1 in the final against Nigeria’s Bayelsa Queens before winning 8-7 on penalties.

·       Outside the 2021 edition, when every team was a debutant, ASEC could become the first debutant club to win the CAF Women’s Champions League title.