Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies have secured qualification for the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League after defeating Nigeria’s Edo Queens 3-2 in the resumed WAFU Zone B qualifying final in Cairo, Egypt, on Thursday, October 29.
A decisive extra-time header from Afishata Mohammed handed the Ghanaian champions victory in a contest that had remained unresolved for nearly two months following a disputed penalty shootout.
The Techiman-based side will now represent the WAFU Zone B region at the continental competition, scheduled to take place in Egypt from November 1 to 15.
Thursday’s encounter resumed from the beginning of extra time, with the score standing at 2-2 after the original final played in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on September 5.
Ampem Darkoa made an immediate impact, scoring just two minutes after the restart when Mohammed headed home from a corner kick to put the Ghanaian side ahead.
Despite sustained pressure from Edo Queens, the team coached by Charles Anokye Frimpong defended their advantage to secure the qualification ticket.
CAF Overturns Earlier Penalty Result
The victory follows a successful appeal by Ampem Darkoa Ladies against the outcome of the original final.
The Ghanaian champions had drawn 2-2 with Edo Queens after 90 minutes, but match officials proceeded directly to a penalty shootout instead of playing the mandatory 30 minutes of extra time.
Edo Queens won the shootout 4-1 and were initially declared regional champions.
However, Ampem Darkoa, through the Ghana Football Association (GFA), challenged the procedure, arguing that it breached the competition’s regulations.
CAF’s Organising Committee for Women’s Football subsequently upheld the protest and annulled the penalty shootout result.
The CAF Appeal Board confirmed the decision on October 16, directing that the match resume from the beginning of extra time rather than be replayed in full.
The ruling also required the appointment of different match officials for the continuation.
Thursday’s victory therefore settles the qualification dispute in favour of the Ghanaian champions.
Second Champions League Appearance
Ampem Darkoa Ladies will be making their second appearance in the CAF Women’s Champions League, having previously competed in the tournament in 2023, when they finished fourth.
They have been drawn in Group B alongside defending champions AS FAR of Morocco, Uganda’s Kawempe Muslim Ladies and Mali’s USFAS Bamako.
The eight-team competition will take place at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia, Egypt, with the tournament running from November 1 to 15.
Ampem Darkoa’s qualification ensures Ghanaian representation at Africa’s leading women’s club competition and provides the Techiman-based side with another opportunity to compete against some of the continent’s strongest teams.
