Africa-Press – Uganda. After Friday’s fixtures at Fufa Technical Centre – Njeru, Kampala Queens (KQ) will still be left with a match in Group A of the Caf Women’s Champions League Cecafa qualifiers.
Yet that all could count for naught if they do not beat CBE. KQ dug themselves into a pit by losing 2-1 to Burundi champions Buja Queens at the same venue on Tuesday.
Buja had already lost by the same margin to CBE on Saturday last week – a thing that complicates the situation even further in this group as Caf competitions first consider the head to head record between or among contesting sides if they are tied on points.
All these three sides are expected to blow away also-rans Yei Joint Stars from South Sudan as KQ did in a 3-0 win last Saturday, and FAD from Djibouti as CBE did in an 8-0 win on Tuesday.
This means that even a draw might not cut it for KQ. Even a win, especially if it is the identical 2-1 win that Buja got off them or the one that CBE got off the Burundi champions, could only just unlock an interpretation of the rules.
The rules, to just list them, say that; if tied on points, the following tiebreaking criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings.
1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
4. If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
5. Goal difference in all group matches;
6. Goals scored in all group matches;
7. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams are tied and they met in the last round of the group;
8. Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
9. Drawing of lots.
Only Point 7 might not apply in the end. CBE know the threat that Ugandan sides pose to them.
In 2021, they needed penalties to overcome Lady Doves in the semifinals after a 1-1 draw in regulation time. Fazila Ikwaput, who is now at KQ, scored Doves’ goal then.
In 2022, they lost 2-1 to She Corporate in the semi-finals owing to goals from Phiona Nabbumba and Anitah Namata, who is now with Group B semifinal candidates Vihiga Queens.
Approach
“Kampala Queens are a very strong side and it will be a hard match. We have a lot of respect for them but we are happy with how the tournament is going for us,” CBE coach Birhanu Gizaw Heye said.
The same message was re-echoed by his captain Loza Abera, who enjoys a good record against Ugandan outfits (clubs and national teams), after their 8-0 win over FAD in which she scored just once.
“Everything for us is decided by the coach,” Abera said in reference to whether she was angry about being taken off against FAD when she had an opportunity to chase the top scorer’s gong. But her wider point was that their coach will decide the approach to this game.
Heye’s counterpart Charles Nsanziiro has already said that KQ will change approach tactically after his plan to let his players express themselves on the ball left them hurt deeply by Buja and only registered three goals against Yei.
CAF WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
CECAFA QUALIFIERS
Friday’s Fixtures – FTC Njeru
FAD (Djibouti) vs. Yei Joint Stars (S. Sudan), 1pm
Kampala Queens vs. Central Bank Ethiopia, 4pm
Table
P W D L F A PTs
CBE 2 2 0 0 10 1 6
Buja Queens 2 1 0 1 3 3 3
Kampala Queens 2 1 0 1 4 2 3
Yei Joint Stars 1 0 0 1 0 3 0
FAD 1 0 0 1 0 8 0
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