Southern Africa's COSAFA region will be represented by two clubs from South Africa at the 2024 CAF Women's Champions League with 2023 CAFWCL champions Mamelodi Sundowns joined by tournament debutants University of the Western Cape Women's F.C. With Mamelodi Sundowns raising the profile of South African women's football through their previous successes in the continent's premier club competition, the stage is set for UWC Ladies to prove that they can compete with the best as well.
How did UCW Ladies qualify?
Located in the greater Cape Town region in South Africa's Western Cape province, UWC Ladies qualified courtesy of their performance in the COSAFA region qualifying competition for clubs from the Southern Africa region. Popularly known as "uDubs", the club qualified in dramatic fashion by defeating Botswana's Gaborone United in the final 9-8 in a penalty kick shootout following a 1-1 draw. UWC Ladies qualified for the qualifying competition after finishing as runners-up in the 2023 SAFA Women's League to Mamelodi Sundowns, who did not take part in COSAFA qualifying because they were already qualified for the upcoming CAFWCL as defending champions.
Video: A recap of the final between UWC Ladies and Gaborone United at the 2024 COSAFA region qualifying competition. (Credit: COSAFA YouTube Channel)
Club History
UWC Ladies established themselves in South African women's football through their success in the Women's Varsity Football Cup which features the top women's football teams of South Africa's university system. uDubs have reached the last four finals of the competition with victories in the 2021, 2022 and 2024 editions. The establishment of South Africa's fully professional women's league for the 2019-20 season, the SAFA Women's League, provided another opportunity for UWC Ladies to shine where they finished as runners-up to Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2022 and 2023 campaigns and look set for another second place finish in the 2024 edition.
Head Coach: Thinasonke Mbuli
Mbuli has been in charge of UWC Ladies since 2019 and her resume is impressive in South African women's football, earning her a major opportunity as one of the female head coaches at the upcoming CAF Women's Champions League. While supervising the rise of uDubs since taking over, Mbuli has also contributed to the success of the South Africa women's national team, Banyana Banyana, by being a member of the coaching staff under legendary Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis beginning in 2017. Since then Mbuli continues to build her reputation thanks to increasing success at UWC Ladies.
Key Player: Siphesihle Dlamini
The goalkeeper will have a key role for uDubs in the CAFWCL after winning the Golden Glove award at the COSAFA qualifying competition. The stars from the qualifying campaign, Bongeka Gamede and Noxolo Cesane, have both since departed to continue their careers abroad leaving Dlamini as a potential difference maker for the Western Cape side.
Schedule
Group A
November 9: v. TP Mazembe (COG)
November 12: v. Aigles de la Médina (SEN)
November 15: v. AS FAR (MAR)
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