Edo Queens edge Inter FC to seal final berth at 2024 WAFU-B Champions League

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Nigeria champions Edo Queens, pipped host Inter FC of Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, 2-1 in the semi-final of the 2024 West Africa Zone B (WAFU-B) Women’s Champions League Qualifiers in Bouake on Tuesday.

First-half goals from Emem Essien and Blessing Ilivieda propelled the Benin City-based side to the final in their maiden WAFU-B Women’s Champions League tournament.

Essien scored the first goal of the encounter in the seventh minute of play.

Ilivieda doubled the lead for Moses Aduku’s side four minutes after the half-hour mark.

After the interval, Inter FC responded with a goal in the 46th minute via Adjoua Niamien to make the last 39 minutes of the game a keenly contest battle.

Edo Queens held on to zoom into the final where they will face Benin Republic side, Aiononvi FC.

Aiononvi FC edged Omnisports Etincelle (Burkina Faso)1-0 thanks to Yasminath Djibril’s 84th minute in the early semi-final clash.

The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership champions, Edo Queens and Aiononvi are the two teams without defeat so far at the WAFU-B Women’s Champions League Qualifiers.

Edo Queens have won all four games, while AO Etincelle, which had two teams in their group, has won all three games.

The final will produce a winner with one of either side set to lose for the first time in the competition.

It will also be the first time the WAFU-B Women’s Champions League final will take place without a Ghanaian representative since inception.

Hasaacas Ladies and Rivers Angels (2021), Bayelsa Queens and Ampem Darkoa (2022), as well as Ampem Darkoa and Delta Queens (2023), were the Nigerian and Ghanaian teams to have played in the last three finals of the tournament.