Namibian side FC Ongos will take their place in the CAF Women’s Champions League Cosafa Qualifier to be staged in Blantyre, Malawi from August 15-24, a new name for the competition but not a new team.
The club were formerly known as Tura Magic before they were sold in 2023 and the new owner renamed the side FC Ongos.
They played in the inaugural regional qualifier in 2021 but exited in the first round having lost both their games without scoring a goal.
To be fair, they were in an incredibly tough pool with Zimbabwe’s Black Rhinos Queens, who beat them 3-0 on the way to the final, and Green Buffaloes from Zambia, who won 1-0 and would lift the trophy the following season.
Ongos will be hoping for a much better outcome in 2024, though once again they have a tough Group A.
They open their campaign against Zimbabwe’s Herentals Queens on August 15, before a clash with University of the Western Cape from South Africa two days later. They complete their pool play against Green Buffaloes on August 19.
The top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals, so they will have their work cut out to be among those sides.
Head coach Shama Gure has been assessing new players in the build-up to the regional finals and is confident they can surprise.
“We are roping in five new players to strengthen the squad,” Gure was quoted by New Era. “We respect every team in the group, we won’t look down on any team, and we will remain humble, heading into this fixture.” – cosafa.com
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
