South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies have announced their starting XI for their 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA qualifiers opener against Comoros side Olympic de Moroni at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium (15:30).
This is Sundwons’ third appearance in the qualifiers and they won it in the inaugural event in 2021, where they went on to eventually be crowned African Champions.
Last year, Jerry Tshabalala’s side were beaten to the top spot by Zambia’s Green Buffaloes but still qualified for the continental finals by virtue of being defending champions.
This time around there is only one spot from the region to go to the CAF Women’s Champions League finals in Ivory Coast later this year and Sundowns will have it all to do to finish first in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
Jerry Tshabalala’s side are favourites to win their Group B opener, boosting regular national team players from African champions South Africa and Botswana.
They are also boosted by the presence of players like Lebogang Ramalepe and brand new signing Kholosa Biyana, who were based in Europe last season, showing the club’s intentions in the competition.
Meanwhile, it’s Moroni’s second successive appearance at the event and they will look for a better finish after reaching the semi-finals last year. The other teams in the Group are Costa do Sol of Mozambique and Eswatini’s Young Buffaloes.
Here is how they line up:
Sundowns Ladies XI: Dlamini, Makhubela, Makhurubetshi, Letsoso, Morifi, Rabale, Mokwena, Daweti, Mali, Mthandi, Tebogo
Subs: Kekana, Mashigo, Minnies, Kgasago, Mgcoyi, Biyana, Ramalepe, Ntimeni, Bosija
