ISMAILIA. Godfrey Sapula saw enough in Kawempe Muslim Ladies’ 3-2 victory over defending champions AS FAR to know what awaits Mamelodi Sundowns in Wednesday’s Caf Women’s Champions League semi-final.
The Sundowns coach singled out Kawempe’s physical strength and willingness to take on established opponents ahead of the clubs’ first meeting in the competition.
The match kicks off at 6pm EAT on Wednesday, 11 November, at Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia, Egypt.
“They are a very good team, fearless, and players who are very physically strong,” Sapula said.
“We are going to have to be really, really competitive in the individual duels.”
Sundowns topped Group A with seven points after opening with a goalless draw against hosts FC Masar.
They beat Cameroon’s Lekié Football Filles 2-1 and Morocco’s FUS Rabat 3-0, but Sapula believes his side can still raise their level.
“I think we have done well to be in the semi-finals,” he said, adding that he hoped his players would produce their best performance in the knockout round.
Sundowns seek a return to the final
For midfielder Oratile Mokwena, Wednesday’s match is an opportunity to put two frustrating campaigns behind them.
Sundowns won the title in 2021 and 2023, exited in the group stage in 2024 and missed the 2025 edition. They reached the final on each of their three previous trips to the semi-finals.
“It is a very big achievement for us coming into the semi-finals,” Mokwena said.
She called on Sundowns to keep the confidence they showed in the group stage and expects Kawempe to play with the same conviction that took them this far.
“They are debutants, first of all, and I think they are very hungry and they want to reach their first final,” she said. “They are a very energetic team and they play with courage.”
Nabukenya leads Kawempe’s threat
Kawempe recovered from a 2-1 defeat to Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa to beat Mali’s USFAS Bamako 3-0 and finish second in Group B.
Agnes Nabukenya scored twice in the decisive win to take her tally to four, the most by any player in the group stage.
Kawempe have scored in every match in Egypt, including three against the defending champions. The winner will face AS FAR or Lekié Football Filles in Sunday’s final.
Sundowns have won all four of their Caf Women’s Champions League matches against East African clubs without conceding.
They beat Kenya’s Vihiga Queens 1-0 in 2021, Tanzania’s Simba Queens 1-0 in the 2022 semi-finals and Tanzania’s JKT Queens 1-0 in 2023. They then defeated Commercial Bank of Ethiopia 4-0 in 2024.