Bayelsa Queens have their fate in their hands

In few hours time at the Prince Herities Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, the Bayelsa Queens will engage Egypt’s Wadi Delga in the final matchday of Group B of the CAF Women’s Champions League.

A possible win is all they desire to get into the semi finals along with possible group leaders and defending champions, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.

But the group could turn into a Greek puzzle that could lead to employment of tie-breaker. Arithmetically, three teams could finish on six points each if Congo’s Mazembe should beat Mamelodi Sundowns and Bayelsa Queens beat Egypt’s Wadi Delga.

The  5-0 defeat of Wadi Delga by Mamelodi Sundowns comes handy for the South Africans who are likely going to have the edge on goal difference to move ahead.

On this account, Nigeria’s Bayelsa Queens will need to go for the goals to avert a possible elimination on account of goal difference in the unlikely event of  Mazembe beating Sundowns by three goals or more.

Although the encounter is a first clash of Wadi Degla and Bayelsa Queens, the Egyptians on home soil faces  Rivers Angels last year.

Wadi Degla face West African opponents for a second time at the CAF Women’s Champions League in 2021 in their final group game, a must win clash saw them come up against Hasaacas Ladies of Ghana the game ended 2-2 despite Wadi Degla twice leading.

It will be recalled that the Nigerian champions began with a 2-1 loss to defending Champions Mamelodi Sundowns, they bounced back to win their next game against TP Mazembe 2-0.

In winning their second game after losing their opening game at the CAF WCL Finals Bayelsa Queens became the fourth side after Malabo Kings and Vihiga Queens in 2021, as well as Simba Queens at the current finals, to lose their opening game and then win their second game.

Progression to the next round will seen Bayelsa Queens become the first team from Nigeria to reach the last four, their counterparts Rivers Angels exited the 2021 tournament at the group stages.

Should Bayelsa Queens reach the Semi-finals they will become the second team from West Africa to do so along with the Ghanaian club Hasaacas Ladies, who ended as runners up in 2021.

If Bayelsa Queens do not reach the last four it will be for the first time that there will be no West African representative in the Semi-finals at the CAF WCL.

Should Bayelsa Queens reach the last four they will emulate the performance of the Nigerian national women’s national team, who made it to the last four of the recent 2022 WAFCON which was held in Morocco in July.

A win for Bayelsa Queens will see them become the first Nigerian team at the CAF WCL to win two games.

All five games involving Nigerian clubs at the CAF WCL have ended with a winner, none of the five games at the finals with either Rivers Angels or Bayelsa Queens has ended in a draw.

Of the five games involving Nigerian clubs at the CAF WCL in four of these games has the winning team kept a clean sheet, only in Bayelsa Queens 2-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies at the current competition has both teams managed to score.

Bayelsa Queens are the first Nigerian team to score in successive games at the CAF WCL, Rivers Angels failed to do so in their first two group games in 2021 losses to AS FAR and Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies. Before winning their final game 4-0 against Vihiga Queens.

Should they keep a clean-sheet Bayelsa Queens will be the first team from West Africa to keep two clean-sheets at the CAF WCL Finals, in 2021 between the three WAFU representatives they kept just two clean-sheets.

Ogoma Josephs who converted a penalty to open the scoring for Bayelsa Queens against TP Mazembe in their last game, had 89 touches of the ball more than any of her teammates.

Grace Igboamalu scorer of Bayelsa Queens second goal in the win over TP Mazembe attempted six shots on target in the game, with all six shots being on target.

In their win over TP Mazembe – Bayelsa Queens completed 397 passes to their opponents 297 passes, making a 100 passes more.

Bayelsa Queens made 272 of their 397 passes against TP Mazembe in their opponents half.

Against TP Mazembe the Nigerian club had a game high 97 final third entries.

Bayelsa Goalkeeper Ange Bawou made four saves from the four shot she faced in the win against TP Mazembe.