Mamelodi Sundowns champions of Africa again.
Sundowns defeated Morocco’s SC Casablanca 3-0 in the CAF Women’s Champions League final on Sunday.
Securing victory in Cote d’Ivoire, the South Africans, led by top scorer Tholakele Refilwe and Boitumelo Rabale, successfully reclaimed the title they had surrendered the previous year.
Their remarkable performance in Cote d’Ivoire not only saw them regain the championship lost to AS FAR in the previous season but also set a noteworthy record by winning the title without conceding any goals on their path to glory.
The historic triumph unfolded at the lively Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium in Korhogo on a Sunday evening.
Tholakele Refilwe’s two goals, combined with Boitumelo Rabale’s decisive strike, secured a 3-0 victory over Morocco’s SC Casablanca, ultimately crowning the South Africans as champions.
This marked the second encounter between the two teams in the tournament, with Sundowns emerging as 1-0 victors in the group stages.
Sundowns, driven by a clear mission to reclaim the title, quickly surged forward and reaped the rewards in the 21st minute when Refilwe successfully converted a penalty.
Minutes later, Rabale extended the South Africans’ lead to two goals just before halftime with a clinical finish from the edge of the box, finding the bottom corner.
Despite the Moroccans attempting a comeback in the second half, Sundowns’ resolute defense thwarted every attack.
With momentum in their favor, the South Africans sealed the victory with Tholakele’s 78th-minute goal, officially putting the match out of reach for the Moroccans. This secured Sundowns’ second CAF Women’s Champions League title, accompanied by a noteworthy $400,000 winner’s prize cheque.
Quotes from the coaches
SC Casablanca coach Mehdi El Qaichori
“It was a good experience from the team. I want to congratulate Mamelodi Sundowns for the win. They played very well today and were the better team. This was a great tournament which is also good for women’s football in Africa.”
Sundowns coach Jerry Tshabalala
“When you see me happy, I try to rub it onto my players. A happy player will always dliver results for the team. We want to keep on doing good. Now the target, we are hoping that one day we will have a (Women’s) Club World Cup and we will go represent as the African champions.”
Mamelodi Sundowns CAF Women’s Champions League Road to glory:
Group Stage:
Mamelodi Sundowns 2 – 0 JKT Queens
Mamelodi Sundowns 1- 0 SC Casablanca
Mamelodi Sundowns 3 – 0 Athletico Abidjan
Semi-Finals:
Mamelodi Sundowns 1 – 0 AS FAR
Final:
Mamelodi Sundowns 3 – 0 SC Casablanca
