Edo Queens Intensify WAFU-B Preparations with High-Profile Friendlies Against FC Robo

Reigning Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership champions, Edo Queens FC of Benin, have intensified preparations for the forthcoming WAFU-B Women’s Champions League qualifiers in Burkina Faso with a two-legged Grade A friendly against Lagos-based Premier League side, FC Robo Queens.

The first leg of the friendly, played on Thursday at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, ended in a narrow 1-0 victory for FC Robo, with prolific striker Ajakaye Opeyemi scoring the decisive goal in the 20th minute.

The second leg is scheduled for Friday, August 7, 2026, at the same venue, with kick-off fixed for 12 noon.

The friendly is part of several high-quality matches lined up by the Edo Queens management to sharpen the team’s readiness ahead of their continental assignment later this month.

Speaking after the game, Edo Queens Head Coach, Moses Aduku, said the exercise was designed to assess the team’s preparedness and provide valuable match experience for players ahead of the WAFU-B playoffs.

“The two teams will meet again tomorrow in the second leg. It is encouraging to have this kind of assessment on home soil. We have been able to identify areas of strength and weakness in our team,” Aduku said.

“Some players have been given the opportunity to step up due to the absence of our key players who are currently with the Falconets in the national U-20 camp, while new players are also being tested to see how well they blend with the existing squad. I’m not worried about the result; rather, I’m pleased with the quality FC Robo brought to the game. This is exactly the kind of challenge we need at this stage of our preparations. We are grateful to the management for making it possible.”

The match marked Edo Queens’ first Grade A club friendly since the team began close camping ahead of the regional competition.

The club’s management has also lined up additional friendly matches to ensure the team is in peak condition before departing for Burkina Faso.

Edo Queens are currently without six of their key players, who are in camp with Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team, the Falconets, preparing for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland this September.

The Benin-based side will be making their second appearance at the WAFU-B tournament in three seasons, having won the regional title in 2024 on their debut.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams. In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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