Mamelodi Sundowns win Women’s African Champions League for second time
Mamelodi Sundowns won the Women’s African Champions League for the second time with a 3-0 win over debutants Sporting Club Casablanca in Ivory Coast.
Refilwe Tholakele set the South Africans on their way in Korhogo with a 21st minute penalty, which was given for a handball against Aicha Samake following a video assistant referee review.
Boitumelo Rabale added a second three minutes later with a low left-footed shot from the edge of the area which found the bottom right-hand corner.
Goalkeeper Andile Dlamini preserved a clean sheet for Sundowns when she bravely dived to smother an effort from Agueicha Diarra and Tholakele calmly slotted in from 12 yards to round off the scoring with 12 minutes remaining.
The South African club, who had won the inaugural title in 2021 and finished as runners-up to Moroccan outfit AS FAR in the second edition last year, won all five games at the tournament without conceding a single goal.
Their triumph comes after Sundowns’ men’s side won the first ever African Football League last Sunday.
“We did it for the young girls who believe in us,” Dlamini said.
“We don’t talk too much but we work on the field. That’s who we are. We are South Africans and we are proud.”