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Writer's pictureAdaramola Yemiblak

CAFWCL Preview: Edo Queens (NGA)


Photo Credit: CAF Online/cafonline.com


Path to the Competition


Nigeria's Edo Queens are making their competition debut in the fourth edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League and will be looking to make a big impact on the highest stage of African women's club football. The club won their maiden Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) title following the 2023-24 campaign and triumphed in the WAFU-Zone B qualifying competition to give them hopes of being major contenders at the upcoming Champions League competition that will be held in Morocco.


Edo Queens are the third NWFL side to compete in the competition and will be looking to improve on Nigeria’s record in the continent as no Nigerian team has been able to claim the trophy. Bayelsa Queens came close when they finished third in 2022 after Rivers Angels were previously the first Nigerian team to qualify for the event.


One point separated Edo Queens from both Rivers Angels and Bayelsa Queens in the Super 6 playoff stage of last season's NWFL played in the Bayelsa State capital of Yenagoa, where Edo Queens drew 1-1 against Bayelsa to confirm their champion status. This success qualified them to the WAFU-Zone B qualifying competition in Côte d'Ivoire where they defeated Benin's Ainonvi FC by a 3-0 score in the final to confirm qualification to the CAF Women's Champions League.


Video: Edo Queens defeat Ainonvi FC in the WAFU-Zone B final






History of the Club


Also known as Benin Arsenal, Edo Queens were formerly called Inneh Queens when formed in 1995 and are based in Southern Nigeria's Edo State. They currently play in the top women's football league in Nigeria, the NWFL Premiership. In 1995, Chief Sunday Orhue Inneh founded Inneh Queens, the first women's football club in Edo State, to address the gender inequality in football there. The club quickly achieved success, winning the NWFL Amateur League in 1995 followed by promotion to the top division in 1996.


They continued to excel by contributing players to the U20 Nigeria women's national team and winning the gold medal for Edo State at the 2000 edition of the Nigerian National Sports Festival. In recognition of Chief Inneh's contributions, the Edo State government took over the team and renamed it Edo Queens FC in 2015. When it comes to trophies, 2024 has been the best for Edo Queens as they won their maiden NWFL title in 2024 and then went to Côte d'Ivoire to conquer the 2024 WAFU-Zone B CAF Women’s Championship.


Coach and Player to Watch



Edo Queens head coach Moses Aduku

Photo Credit: CAF Online/cafonline.com


Leading the Nigerian champions is coach Moses Aduku who took charge in 2022 after a successful spell at Bayelsa Queens, where he took the side to an NWFL championship before being poached by the Benin City side. Aduku is seen as a leading tactician in Nigerian women’s football with plenty of experience and a passion for developing talent as well as a history of success.



Edo Queens star attacker Emem Peace Essien

Photo Credit: CAF Online/cafonline.com


Emem Essien is a name whispered with reverence in the hallowed grounds of Nigerian women's football who is not just a player but a force of nature. A dazzling forward who scored three goals at the WAFU-Zone B qualifying competition in Côte d'Ivoire along with six goals during the title-clinching NWFL campaign, her brilliance is a beacon illuminating the pitch.


Her journey to glory was etched with the sweat of countless hours of training and the unwavering belief in her own potential: "I want to be the highest scorer and the best player. I also aim to contribute to the team play and spirit, performing even better than I did in the WAFU B competition," Essien said to CAF Online regarding her expectations in the upcoming competition.


Schedule


Group B


November 10: vs. Commercial Bank of Ethiopia FC (ETH)

November 13: vs. FC Masar (EGY)

November 16: vs. Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA)

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