TotalEnergies Women CL WAFU A qualifiers - Sacre Coeur down Determine Girls
Forward Nguenar Ndiaye scored a second half brace to hand AS Dakar Sacre Coeur a come from behind 2-1 victory over Determine Girls FC on Saturday (24 July 2021) in the West Zone A (WAFU A) TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League qualifying tournament in Sao Vicente, Cape Verde.
The Senegal international showed class against the Liberian champions with her two smart finishes securing the maximum points in the maiden edition of the annual tournament.
Bintou Sylla broke the deadlock after 25 minutes when she pounced on a loose ball after Ndeye Diop had denied Elizabeth Tamba to give the Liberian side the lead.
Sacre Couer created some close chances but failed to beat the Jackie Touah in the Determine Girls goal. Nguenar forced Jackie to a one hand save inside the first minute before dragging a close range effort off target in quarter hour mark.
The Senegalese champions pilled more pressure on the Liberians as they pushed for an equaliser. Attacking midfielder Haby Balde saw her fierce drive from distance canoed off the woodwork before fellow attacker Ndeye Diakhate missed a sitter on the hour mark with the goal at her mercy.
Robertson Warner’s charges held on their lead going into the break but found themselves on level terms two minutes after the interval. Nguenar reacted first to a long ball behind the defence before guiding home the equaliser beyond the helpless Touah.
The pacey Nguenar completed her double fifteen minutes before time following on Tacko’s weak effort to give AS Dakar Sacre Couer the maximum points and a place at the summit of the pool.
Earlier on the day Seven Stars of Cape Verde came from behind to force a 2-2 draw against Mali’s AS Mande who were reduced to ten women following the sending off of midfielder Fatoumatta Doumbia.
The match of two halves saw AS Mande dominated and lead in the first period courtesy of Fatoumatta Diarra and Bassira Toure.
Diarra converted from the spot after she was brought down in the area on the 26th minute before Bassira made it 2-0 with on the half hour mark.
Cape Verde’s Seven Stars rallied back to reduce the deficit through Woman of the match Irlanda Lopes who headed home an inswing cross from the left into an unguarded goal.
The striker rescued a point in added time with a smart finish past the keeper to send the limited spectators into wild celebrations at the renovated Estadio Municipal Aderito Sena.
POST MATCH REACTIONS
** Woman of the Match (Nguenar Ndiaye, AS Dakar Sacre Couer)**
The coach told us to continue trying because they’re not better than us so when we came back we did just that and scored the goals. The collective objective is to win the tournament and qualifier for the Champions League and I also want to win the top goal scorer’s award.
Ababacar Ndiaye (Coach, Dakar Sacre Couer)
The objective was to win the first match and be at the top of the group. The beginning was very difficult but we had many chances to score. We told them to continue in the second half because it’s very important to win.
We have a link with Lyon in France and they’re one of the best teams in Europe. Cape Verde is a nice country but we’re not here for vacation we want to win the tournament.
Robertson Warner (Coach, Determine Girls FC)
The first half we came to win but it just hasn’t happen. I’m not disappointed that is football we played well in the first half keeping the ball but we made mistakes and we were punished.