Vihiga Queens began their CECAFA Women’s Champions league qualifiers on a losing note after suffering a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Ethiopia’s CBE in a group B match played at Nyayo National stadium.
CBE took the lead through their three goal heroine Medina Awol Busser who slotted past an onrushing Vihiga Queens goalkeeper Lilian Onyango Awuor after being played through in the 18 yard box after 9 minutes.
Vihiga equalized three minutes later with Maureen Achieng’s long range effort hitting the cross bar before bouncing off the line from a corner taken by Phelistus Kadari .
CBE regained the lead in the 22nd minute after on form Busser beat her marker, rounded the goalkeeper to slot home the second goal.
Vihiga Queens equalized six minutes to the interval with Maureen Achieng scoring her second after CBE’s goalkeeper Tarikua Bargena Balcha parried Jentrix Shikangwa’s well taken free kick.
Meddina grabbed her hat trick ,a first in the competition shortly after restart before their skipper Loza Genoire sealed the emphatic 4-1 win.
Vihiga Queens assistant head coach Bonface Nyamunyamu recognized the challenge his team faced against CBE but was optimistic the team will bounce back in its remaining two fixtures.
‘’The Ethiopian team tactically were good, one on one situations it was hard for us to tackle them,but all in all the result counts, the best team won, for us it’s a negative situation to us but I hope the next game we will correct our mistakes ,we still have a chance to win and qualify’’, Nyamunyamu said.
His opposite number Haye Birhanu expressed satisfaction with the performance of his side saying it was a good momentum to build on.
‘’It was a dream performance for the last two years I have been working as a coach and really, what I did get from the game it makes me much happier and gives me the energy for the coming matches in the tournament’’, Birhanu remarked in a post match interview.
Vihiga Queens will face Yei Joint Stars while CBE will play New Generations. The matches will be played at MISC,Kasarani on Wednesday.
In another group B match played earlier Yei Joint Stars of Sudan beat Zanzibar’s New Generation 2-1.
The semi finals are scheduled September 6th while the final will be played on September 9th with the winner clinching the sole ticket to represent CECAFA zone at the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions league finals in Egypt.
FIXTURES
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Lady Doves vs Simba Queens -MISC Kasarani,
PVP vs FAD -MISC Kasarani
Wednesday, September 1, 2021
CBE vs New Generations -MISC Kasarani,
Yei Joint Stars vs Vihiga Queens -MISC Kasarani