AS Mande and AS Dakar maintain unbeaten starts in WAFU-A qualifiers

Mali's AS Mande and Senegal AS Dakar kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the finals of the 2023 CAF Women's Champions League after Wednesday's draws in the WAFU-B qualifying matches respectively, in Paynesville, Liberia.

Cruising from their opening victories, Malian champions Mande played out a 0-0 draw with Sierra Leone's Mogwembo, just as Senegalese queens Dakar forced holders Determine Girls to a 1-1 draw at Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium.

On Matchday Two encounters, Mogwembo fought hard to avoid defeat to 2021 winners Mande thanks to the goalkeeping heroics of Player-of-the-Match winner Mawa Traore as the contest ended in a stalemate.

Later, at the same venue, hosts Determine missed the chance to earn their first win against Dakar despite Mabinty Camara giving the Liberians the morale-boosting lead in the 40th minute.

The Senegalese, however, fought back having found themselves a goal-down when Korka Fall found the crucial equalizer 14 minutes from regulation time to share the spoils.

The results mean 2022 WAFU-A champions are out of the race for the regional ticket, having earned just a point from two games, the same as Sierra Leonean side Mogbwemo Queens.

As it stands, AS Mande leads the pool on superior goals, with four points as AS Dakar, while Mogbwembo and Determine occupy the third and fourth spots respectively after two games.

On Friday, the WAFU-A regional playoff will reach its climax as hosts Determine Girls battle Mogbwemo for pride and a good finish, while Dakar faces off with Mande in a title-decider match.

The women's club championship is the third edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League, WAFU-A Qualifier after it hosted the 2022 edition. The inaugural edition was held in Cape Verde.

Only the top team in the four-club competition will advance to the continental finals that will be staged in Ivory Coast from November 5-19.