Ghanaian side Hasaacas Ladies are through to the final of the maiden Caf Women’s Champions League following a 2-1 semi-final win over Moroccan side AS FAR on Monday.
Doris Boaduwaa and Evelyn Badu were on target for the winners while Najat Badri scored for the losing side in the last four fixture at Al Salam Stadium in Egypt.
The victory confirms Yussif Basigi’s outfit’s place in Friday’s final where they meet the winners of the second semi-final duel between Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa and Malabo Kings of Equatorial Guinea.
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The ongoing championship is the first-ever Caf Women’s Champions League final tournament.
Boaduwaa gave Hasaacas a first half lead against the run of play, heading into the net to make it 1-0.
Badri, however, hit back for AS FAR a minute to half-time to level the score.
After the interval, the Ghanaians had an opportunity to restore their lead when the Video Assistant Referee, in use at the tournament for the first time, judged the goalkeeper to have fouled Badu in the box and awarded a penalty.
Perpetual Agyekum, however, missed the glorious chance as she struck her effort against the upright before AS FAR’s defence reacted quickly to deny her a rebound.
Hasaacas were not weighed down by the setback and kept fighting for a match-winner, which ultimately came 10 minutes to full time when Boaduwaa laid it on a plate for Badu to finish after some neat work down the wing.
The goal was Badu’s fourth of the tournament, leaving her as the top scorer of the competition.
“I said last time that the game was not going to be easy. The tempo of the teams qualifying for this is very high. Yes, we missed the penalty, but having the penalty in the first place meant we were attacking and going to win,” Hasaacas coach Basigi said after the game.
“There were tactical variations in the second half. We are going to train the girls on finishing as this is a key element for us.”
“The girls have faith in me and so do I. They listen to me carefully, that’s why our second half is more powerful most of the time.”
Hasaacas won the Wafu Zone B Championship in Cote d’Ivoire earlier this year to qualify for the Champions League.
SOURCE: GOAL
