CAFWCL: North African clash ends scoreless; USFAS win on debut

Mali’s USFAS Bamako enjoyed a victory on their debut as the 2025 CAF Women’s Champions League (CAFWCL) kicked off on Saturday in Cairo at the Right to Dream Stadium.

The champions of the WAFU-A qualifying tournament overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Equatorial Guinea’s 15 de Agosto by a 2-1 score. Maïmouna Traoré equalized with a penalty kick in the 69th minute before Awa Diarra won it late with a looping header from a corner kick in a battle between two clubs making their maiden appearance in Africa’s premier club competition for women’s football.

In Saturday’s later battle, last season’s runners-up AS FAR Rabat of Morocco and third place finishers FC Masar of Egypt battled to a 0-0 draw at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismaila to finish up the first round of matches from Group A.

Action will continue from the CAFWCL on Sunday as Group B gets underway in Ismaila. Reigning champions TP Mazembe of DR Congo face off against Ivorian giants ASEC Mimosas in an intriguing clash before Botswana’s Gaborone United face off with JKT Queens of Tanzania.