CAF Women's Champions League: Ampem Darkoa Ladies miss final slot after losing on penalties
Ghanaian champions Ampem Darkoa Ladies failed to qualify for the final of the 2023 CAF Women's Champions League after losing 3-2 on penalties to Moroccan side Sporting Casablanca after the game ended 2-2 in regulation time in San Pedro's Laurent Pokou Stadium on Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
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The Ghanaians will now face Morocco's AS FAR, who also lost 0-1 to South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies, in the third place play-off on Sunday, November 19.
Having already made history on debut, it was a place in the final up for the taking for the two sides aiming to put the cherry on top of their impressive debut.
It took just 6 minutes for Comfort Yeboah to open the scoring for Ampem Darkoa after the early pressure applied by the Ghanaians resulted in a penalty for Yeboah to slot home.
Minutes later, the defender was back on the scoresheet, this time with an unfortunate own goal that gifted the Moroccans the equalizer in the 28th minute.
Not to be disheartened by the unfortunate incident, Ampem Darkoa continued to push forward and were duly rewarded in the 39th minute after the lively Jennifer Owusuaa regained the lead with a wonder strike from a distance that had the entire stadium in awe.
Returning from the break, SC Casablanca came out a different side in search of the early equalizer. They applied pressure which yielded result for the Moroccan side who were awarded a penalty minutes into the second half for Agueissa Diarra to step up and convert in the 56th minute.
Both sides had an equal amount of chances to get the winning goal but were both let down by their finishing when it mattered the most as nothing could separate them in regulation time.
The remaining minutes of the game could not produce the match winner which forced into 30 minutes of extra time.
With the lottery of penalties, it was the Moroccans who emerged 3-2 victors in a dramatic shootout that saw them set up a tie against Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday, while the Ghanaians will battle it out for the bronze medal against AS FAR.