- Ampem Darkoa Beat Edo Queens to Secure CAF Women’s Champions League Place
Ampem Darkoa Ladies have qualified for the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League after defeating Nigeria’s Edo Queens in a dramatic continuation of the WAFU Zone B qualifying final in Cairo, Egypt.
Afishata Mohammed scored the decisive goal as the Ghanaian champions won the resumed extra-time contest 1-0, completing a 3-2 victory after the original 90 minutes had ended 2-2.
The result secured the final available place at the eight-team continental tournament, which will be staged in Egypt from November 1 to 15.
The qualification followed an extraordinary dispute over the handling of the original WAFU Zone B final played in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on September 5.
Ampem Darkoa and Edo Queens were level at 2-2 after regulation time, but the match proceeded directly to a penalty shootout without the mandatory 30 minutes of extra time.
Edo Queens won the shootout 4-1 and were initially declared champions of the qualifying tournament.
Ampem Darkoa subsequently lodged a protest with the Confederation of African Football, arguing that the competition regulations required two 15-minute periods of extra time before penalties could be used to determine the winner.
CAF’s Organising Committee for Women’s Football upheld the protest on September 26 and annulled the penalty-shootout result.
The governing body determined that the mistake resulted from an administrative instruction and said neither club was responsible for the procedural error. CAF rejected Ampem Darkoa’s request for a complete replay but ruled that the valid 2-2 scoreline should be preserved and the contest resumed from the beginning of extra time.
Edo Queens challenged the decision, but the CAF Appeal Board upheld the ruling on October 16, clearing the way for both teams to meet in Cairo to complete the remaining 30 minutes.
Ampem Darkoa seized the opportunity almost immediately.
Just two minutes into the resumed contest, Mohammed rose to head home from a corner kick, giving the Techiman-based side the crucial advantage.
Edo Queens responded by increasing the pressure in search of an equaliser. The Nigerian champions controlled significant periods after falling behind, but Ampem Darkoa remained organised and defended resolutely.
Charles Anokye Frimpong’s team protected their narrow lead throughout the two periods of extra time to secure qualification.
The 1-0 victory in Cairo was added to the earlier 2-2 scoreline, giving Ampem Darkoa an overall 3-2 win in the qualifying final.
The result represents a significant reward for the club’s decision to challenge the initial outcome through CAF’s disciplinary and appeals structures.
Had Ampem Darkoa accepted the penalty-shootout defeat, Ghana would have missed out on representation at Africa’s premier women’s club competition. Their successful protest demonstrated the importance of clubs understanding competition regulations and pursuing legitimate grievances through the appropriate institutional channels.
The victory also handed Edo Queens a painful conclusion to a qualification campaign they had initially believed was complete.
The Nigerian club travelled to Cairo after already celebrating what appeared to be a successful qualification. However, CAF’s decision restored the extra-time period that should have been played under the regulations, and Ampem Darkoa ultimately settled the contest on the pitch.
Ampem Darkoa will now make their second appearance at the CAF Women’s Champions League.
The Ghanaian champions first competed in the tournament in 2023, producing an impressive campaign before finishing fourth. That experience could prove valuable as the team prepares for another demanding continental challenge.
They have been drawn in Group B alongside defending champions AS FAR of Morocco, Uganda’s Kawempe Muslim Ladies and Mali’s USFAS Bamako.
Ampem Darkoa will begin their group-stage campaign against USFAS Bamako on November 2.
AS FAR are expected to present the group’s most difficult challenge. The Moroccan side are the defending champions and possess considerable experience in the competition.
Kawempe Muslim Ladies and USFAS Bamako will also present different tactical and physical tests, leaving Ampem Darkoa with little time to recover from the emotionally demanding qualifying dispute.
The Ghanaian side will, however, benefit from already being in Egypt and experiencing competitive action shortly before the tournament begins.
Their qualification ensures that Ghana will be represented at the continental championship and provides another opportunity to assess the development of the domestic women’s game against Africa’s strongest clubs.
For Ampem Darkoa, the journey to the tournament has already tested their resilience away from football as much as their quality on the pitch.
They lost a disputed shootout, successfully challenged an administrative failure, defended their position through an appeal and then returned more than seven weeks later to complete only the extra-time portion of a final.
Mohammed’s decisive header ensured that the prolonged process ended with the result Ampem Darkoa had fought to secure: a return to the CAF Women’s Champions League and another chance to compete among Africa’s elite.
