This is the third meeting between Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and AS FAR at the CAF Women’s Champions League finals.
This is the most played fixture at the finals.
Sundowns and AS FAR will now have met at all three editions of the finals.
With this clash it now means that the teams would have faced each other at three different points at the finals, having previously met at the Group Stages and Final.
This is the first direct elimination contest between Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and AS FAR at the finals.
Sundowns and AS FAR clashed in the 2021 Group Stages the game ended 0-0, they also met in the 2022 final a game which AS FAR won 4-0.
AS FAR are one of only two teams in the finals that Sundowns have faced and failed to score against, the other was Malabo Kings who they defeated on penalties in the 2021 Semi-final after the game ended 0-0.
During their clash in the 2022 final AS FAR won the game 4-0, Sundowns heaviest defeat at the finals and their biggest win.
When AS FAR defeated Sundowns in the 2022 Final, Fatima Tagnaout scored first in the 15th minute, before Ibtissam Jraidi scored a hattrick with goals in the 54thth and 87th minutes. She found her third goal in referees optional time at the end of the second half.
Fatima Tagnaout had three goal contributions in the final in 2022 she scored one goal and made two assists for Ibtissam Jraidi.
During the 2022 Final Sundowns had two players sat off in the game Rhoda Mulaudzi was first to leave in the 34thminute and Zanele Nhlapho followed in the 52na minutes.
The teams also played out a 0-0 draw in the 2021 finals during their final group game, a result which saw both teams go into the last four with Sundowns as group winners and AS FAR as runners up, with Nigeria side Rivers Angels and Kenyan side Vihiga Queens eliminated.
Current Sundowns squad members Andile Dlamini, Karabo Makhurubetshi, Zanele Nhlapho, Chuene Morifi, Botiumelo Joyce Rabale, Oratile Mokwena, Lerato Kgasago, Andisiwe Mgcoyi and Nonhlanhla Mthandi all started Sundowns 0-0 draw against AS FAR in the 2021 group stages. While Khunjolwa Mali and Melinda Kgadiete were unused substitutes.
Current AS FAR squad members Khadija Er-Rmichi, Sihma Boukhami, Fatima Dahmos, Ghizlane Chebbak, Naja Badri, Fatima Tagnaout, Aziza Rabbah, Ghizlane Chhiri, Hanane Ait El Haj and Sanaa Mssoudy started when they played Sundowns at the 2021 edition. While Zineb Redouni and Ahmamou Douha featured as substitutes and Ikram Benjaddi and Nouhaila Benzina were unused substitutes.
Of the current Sundowns squad Andile Dlamini, Zanele Nhlapho, Chuene Morifi, Boitumelo Rabale, Melinda Kgadiete, Lerato Kgasago, and Regina Mogolola started the 2022 final when Sundowns were defeated by AS FAR. While Andisiwe Mgcoyi and Nonhlanhla Mthandi appeared as substitutes, Oratile Mokwena and Maitumelo Bosija were unused substitutes.
For AS FAR Khadija Er-Rmichi, Zineb Redouani, Siham Boukhami, Nouhaila Benzina, Fatima Dahmos, Fatima Tagnaout, Aziza Rabbah, Ahmamou Douha and Blessing Agbomadzi started the final against Sundowns in 2022. While Ikram Benjadi and Hanane Ait El Haj were unused substitutes , Ghizlane Chebbak was part of the squad and did not feature in any games and was on the bench for the final.
Despite Sundowns numerical disadvantage in the 2022 final they did manage to make 315 passes, fifteen more than AS FAR and also had 51.7% of the possession.
For Sundowns this is their fourth game against Moroccan opponents at the finals their record reads P3 W1 D1 L1.
Sundowns have already faced Moroccan opponents in the current finals they met SC Casablanca in their second group game and won 1-0, Melinda Kgadiete scoring the games only goal.
AS FAR have faced teams from Southern Africa three times their record reads W2 D1.
For AS FAR in addition to their two games against Sundowns they also faced COSAFA Region opponents Green Buffaloes of Zambia in the 2022 Group Stages a game they came from behind to win 2-1, with Fatima Tagnaout scoring a brace. That was their second group game at the 2022 finals.
Fatima Tagnaout has scored three goals in three appearances at the finals against team from Southern Africa at the finals and had a total of five goal involvements including two assists in the 2022 Final.
Fatima Tagnaout with her goal in the win over AS Mande is the first AS FAR player to score in three different finals, she is only the second player after Sundowns Melinda Kgadiete to achieve such a feat.
The two most successful goalkeepers at the finals Mamelodi Sundowns Andile Dlamini and Khadija Er-Rmichi of AS FAR will come face to face, Dlamini is yet to beat in these finals keeping successive clean-sheets in their first two games. While Er-Rmichi has managed to keep two in AS FAR’s last two games after conceding in the first.
Past Encounters Between Sundowns Ladies and AS FAR at the CAFWCL
12th November 2021 – Group A, Al Salam Stadium Cairo, Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies 0 AS FAR 0
13th November 2022 – Final, Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, AS FAR 4 (Tagnaout 15′ pen, Jraidi 54′, 87′, 90+1′)
Head to head CAFWCL
P W D L GF GA GD
Mamelodi Sundowns 2 0 1 1 0 4 -4
AS FAR 2 1 1 0 4 0 4
