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Edo Queens, Nigeria’s representatives in the CAF Women’s Champions League, were narrowly defeated 4-3 in a penalty shootout by FC Masar in the bronze medal match on Friday, held in Morocco. This followed a heart-wrenching semifinal loss to TP Mazembe, which ended their hopes of reaching the final.
In the semifinal, Edo Queens had a 1-0 lead until the later stages of the second half, but they were ultimately beaten 3-1 by TP Mazembe, crushing their aspirations for a spot in the championship match. As a result, no Nigerian team has reached the final in any of the tournament’s four editions, a trend that Edo Queens had hoped to reverse.
Despite the setback, Edo Queens entered the third-place match with optimism, fueled by the belief that they had overcome the disappointment of the semifinal loss. However, FC Masar proved too strong, and after a goalless draw, they triumphed in the penalty shootout, claiming the bronze medal.
Although they missed out on the bronze, Edo Queens had a commendable campaign in the competition. They started with a 3-0 victory over CBE, followed by a goalless draw against FC Masar, and an exciting 2-1 win over defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
Edo Queens’ fourth-place finish earns them a significant prize of $300,000 (over N508 million), which is a notable achievement. The breakdown of prize money for the CAF Women’s Champions League is as follows:
- Winners: $600,000
- Runners-up: $400,000
- 3rd place: $350,000
- 4th place: $300,000
- 3rd in Group: $200,000 each
- 4th in Group: $150,000 each
