The group stage of the WAFU Zone B Women's Champions League Qualification Tournament has concluded impressively, highlighting the rapid growth and increasing competitiveness of women's club football across West Africa.
Over the past week, the seven participating teams delivered a series of entertaining matches filled with goals, tactical battles and standout individual performances, underlining the region's growing strength ahead of the knockout rounds.
Burkina Faso's USFA, Ghanaian champions Ampem Darkoa Ladies and Nigeria's Edo Queens emerged as some of the tournament's standout sides, while clubs including ASEC Mimosas and ASKO de KARA also played their part in a fiercely contested group phase.
Among the most notable results were Edo Queens' commanding 7-0 victory over AS Garde Nationale, USFA's emphatic 5-0 win against ASKO de KARA and Ampem Darkoa Ladies' impressive 2-1 comeback triumph over Edo Queens. Ampem Darkoa completed the group stage unbeaten, while USFA advanced without conceding a single goal.
WAFU Zone B Executive Director Phillippe Tchere said the standard of football on display reflected the significant progress being made within the women's game across the region.
"What we have witnessed in this group stage is a clear indication that women's football in WAFU Zone B is moving in the right direction," Tchere said.
"The teams have shown quality, competitiveness and character, and the performances we have seen give us great confidence about the future of the women's game in our zone."
The tournament has also provided a platform for emerging talent to shine, with several players attracting attention through their performances.
USFA's Deborah Guira, Ampem Darkoa's Nancy Amoh, Edo Queens forward Esther Moses and teenage prospect Oluwakemi Adegbuyi have all impressed, highlighting the growing pool of talent available to clubs and national teams across the region.
Tchere believes the development of young players is one of the competition's most important outcomes.
"Competitions like this are not only about determining who qualifies," he added.
"They are also about creating a platform for players to express themselves, gain international experience and attract attention. When you see young players performing with confidence against some of the best clubs in the zone, you know the investment in women's football is beginning to bear fruit."
Attention now turns to the semi-finals, where Burkina Faso's USFA will take on Nigeria's Edo Queens, while Ghana's Ampem Darkoa Ladies face FC Dynamique.
With a place in the CAF Women's Champions League at stake, both encounters are expected to provide another showcase of the quality and progress of women's football in WAFU Zone B.
Follow the story
