Nabirye picks lessons, looks to new season
Ugandan midfielder Joan Nabirye
Kenya and Cecafa region representatives Vihiga Queens came within 25 minutes of making the semifinals of the inaugural Caf Women’s Champions League then collapsed spectacularly to lose 4-0 to Nigeria’s Rivers Angels on Saturday.
Vihiga lost their first Group B match to South Africa champions Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 then beat Moroccan giants AS FAR 2-0 in mid-week.
All they needed was to match FAR’s result against Sundowns and that was on course until the 67th minute when Vivian Makhoha handled the ball in the box to grant Rivers, who had lost their first two games, a penalty.
Her namesake Ikechukwu made no mistake in opening the floodgates, making it 2-0 again from the spot when Damilola Koku was brought down by Vihiga keeper Lilian Awuor nine minutes later.
Koku got her own in the 80th minute while Gift Monday made it 4-0 late on.
FAR held Sundowns to a goalless draw as both sides progressed to set up clashes with Group A’s Hasaacas Ladies from Ghana and Malabo Kings from Equatorial Guinea.
“It was a bad day for us, everything just went wrong in the second half,” Ugandan midfielder Joan Nabirye said. “But we pick lessons and return home with more hunger to come back to the Champions League.
