Nigeria Football Federation Acting General Secretary Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme has praised Edo Queens after the club won the WAFU-B Women’s Champions League in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Edo Queens retain regional crown
The Nigerian champions secured a second successive WAFU-B title on Saturday night, repeating their 2024 success with a dramatic victory over Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies. The final at Stade 4 August ended 2-2 after an absorbing contest, before Edo Queens prevailed 4-1 in the penalty shootout.
The triumph also booked Edo Queens’ place in this year’s CAF Women’s Champions League finals. Ikpeme said the achievement reflected the quality and determination required to overcome a strong field.
- The NFF official said the federation was “very proud” of Edo Queens’ accomplishment.
- He stressed that the team had faced opponents who were equally ambitious and well prepared.
- He also highlighted the significance of defeating Ampem Darkoa, the only side to beat Edo Queens during the group stage.
Nigerian clubs make encouraging continental starts
Ikpeme also welcomed the weekend results involving Nigeria’s men’s clubs in African competitions. Rivers United drew 1-1 away to Côte d’Ivoire’s FC San Pedro in the first leg of their CAF Champions League first preliminary-round tie in Abidjan on Saturday.
In the CAF Confederation Cup, El-Kanemi Warriors and Shooting Stars both claimed victories in their home matches against visiting opposition. The NFF said it had followed all of the fixtures and recognised the commitment shown by the clubs.
Ikpeme sets targets for return legs
Ikpeme backed Shooting Stars to handle the challenge awaiting them in Tunisia, where they will face CS Sfaxien in the second leg. He also urged Enugu Rangers to travel to Benin Republic and secure the result needed to advance to the second round.
- He said Shooting Stars possess enough quality to withstand whatever CS Sfaxien produce in the return match.
- Enugu Rangers were encouraged to deliver an away performance strong enough to secure qualification for the next stage.
- El-Kanemi Warriors were told not to become complacent despite their commanding home win.
- The Maiduguri club must give its maximum effort in Guinea-Bissau, with the aim of building further confidence before the second-round matches.
