Ongos Ladies’ hopes of advancing in the CAF Women’s Champions League were crushed after a 0-3 defeat in their second group match against South Africa’s University of the Western Cape (UWC). 

The loss leaves Ongos Ladies at the bottom of Group A with no points, after losing their two matches.

Their campaign began with a 1-3 defeat against Zimbabwe’s Herentals Queens, followed by the 0-3 loss to UWC on Saturday. UWC secured their victory through goals from Sibulele Holweni, Fikile Magama and Bongeka Gamede in the 20th, 31st and 56th minutes, respectively. As a result, Ongos Ladies are out of contention, as even a win in their final match would not be enough for them to advance.

Ongos’ coach Agnus Chabala Elemu admitted his team’s performance was disappointing, especially after conceding an early penalty, which led to panic among his players. 

“We conceded easy goals, which is disappointing. In the first 20 minutes, we held ourselves well. But after the penalty, the girls started panicking and chasing the game. The two quick goals gave our opponents confidence and put us under pressure, causing our players to lose concentration,” he said.

Looking ahead, Elemu emphasised the need to work on the phases of the game and teaching the players how to respond when they fall behind. “The spirit was good, and if we can build on that in our next match, we might get positive results,” he added.

On the other hand, UWC coach Thinasonke Mnuli expressed satisfaction with her team’s performance, highlighting their focus on winning the match. 

“Our goal was simple – to win this game and keep our chances of advancing alive. I’m happy with the performance, and credit goes to our defenders and the goal scorers, but the back five were solid,” she said. Ongos will play their final match of the qualifiers against Zambia’s Green Buffaloes today.

-mkambukwe@nepc.com.na