Kawempe Muslim Ladies’ fairy-tale debut at the CAF Women’s Champions League came to a sobering conclusion on Saturday afternoon after falling 5–0 to Cameroonian champions Lekie Football Filles in the third-place play-off at the Ismaïlia Stadium.
Despite enjoying 53% of the ball possession, the Ugandan representatives struggled to contain a clinical Lekie attack that punished defensive lapses from the opening whistle.
Cameroon international star Ajara Nchout set the tone early, firing Lekie ahead inside just two minutes before turning provider in the 15th minute for Raïssa Monele Nnanga to double the advantage before halftime.
Kawempe Muslim, missing suspended forward Anitah Namata following her red card in the semi-final loss to Mamelodi Sundowns, looked to mount a second-half response—just as they had done in previous group matches.
However, Lekie’s second-half substitutes put the contest completely out of reach.
Half-time entrant Tim Shalom Makoma extended the lead to 3–0 in the 67th minute off another Nchout assist, before fellow substitute Alexandra Takounda Engolo added a fourth in the 78th minute. Nnanga then completed her brace two minutes later to seal the 5–0 triumph and secure Cameroon’s first-ever podium finish in the competition.
Pride in a Historic Campaign
While the heavy defeat denied the Valley Warriors a bronze medal—and the extra $50,000 in prize money awarded to third place over fourth ($350,000 vs. $300,000)—Kawempe Muslim return home to Kampala with their heads held high.
As the first Ugandan club ever to qualify for the continental finals, they defied expectations by surviving a tough Group B—highlighted by a memorable 3–2 upset victory over Moroccan powerhouse AS FAR and a commanding 3–0 win against Mali’s USFAS Bamako—to finish among the top four clubs in Africa.
Eyes Turn to Sunday’s Blockbuster Final
Attention at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia now shifts to Sunday, November 15 (kick-off at 6:00 PM EAT), when Kawempe’s semi-final conquerors, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, face defending champions AS FAR in the tournament finale.
It is a heavyweight rematch of the 2022 final, which AS FAR won 4–0. With both clubs having lifted the trophy twice before—Sundowns in 2021 and 2023, and AS FAR in 2022 and 2025—Sunday’s winner will make history as the first club to claim a record third CAF Women’s Champions League title.
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