In a year when no Kenyan club made it to the group stages of the CAF Competitions in the men’s field, it was Vihiga Queens who sent waves of excitement across the country with their performance in the inaugural CAF Women Champions League.The tournament’s zonal qualifiers, after facing postponement due to the covid-19 situation, finally took place, starting in August and stretching all the way to September alternating between Nyayo Stadium and Kasarani Stadium.Queens started out poorly at home, losing to Ethiopia’s CBE 4-2 in their opening match of the CECAFA region qualifiers but found their footing in the consecutive matches to go all the way to win the trophy and book the only ticket to the main event in Egypt. That was in September.And here comes the BEST WOMEN FOOTBALL CLUB in EAST and CENTRAL AFRICA!!!! @CafWcl CHAMPIONSEGYPT here we come🏃🏃🏃Kitaleleweka!#VihigaQueens#LegacyMakers#CECAFA2021 pic.twitter.com/UZw86aQddX— Vihiga Queens FC (@Vihigaqueens) September 9, 2021 The loss in the opening game seemed to spell doom for the three-time Kenyan champions, having in mind that long-serving coach at the club Alex Alumirah had just departed a few days to the showdown in Nairobi.He went ahead to be unveiled at Tanzania’s Tigers Queens, and Vihiga elevated Boniface Nyamunyamu to the position previously held by Alumirah.However, Harambee Starlets head coach Charles Okere would serve as the head coach during the CAF competition, an arrangement that the club requested for according to the CEO Mike Senelwa.The bounceback in the second and third games in the group was out of this world, managing to hit 19 goals in those two games without conceding any.Goodnight from our today’s top scorer duo..Violet Wanyonyi ⚽⚽⚽⚽Maureen Achieng ⚽⚽⚽#VihigaQueens#LegacyMakers#CECAFA2021 pic.twitter.com/OCzudwbnXE— Vihiga Queens FC (@Vihigaqueens) September 1, 2021 A team that looked vulnerable in the opening game all of a sudden turned to favorites, playing with swagger and perfect mastery of the game. There was no turning back after that.The final presented an opportunity for the home girls to avenge the defeat in the opening game, and they won when it mattered.Jentrix Shikangwa showed mettle and class, hitting a brace as Vihiga Queens produced a tactical masterclass to overcome the Ethiopian opponent, winning the tournament and booking a slot in the ultimate event.Her exploits throughout the tournament, scoring eight goals in the process saw her being named the most valuable player at the tournament.The trip to Egypt faced uncertainty when the Cabinet Secretary for Sports Amb. Amina Mohamed disbanded FKF executive in November, with the tournament set to start on the fifth day of the month, and with speculations nigh that Kenya was headed for a FIFA ban.HANDS UP for the Vihiga Queens Football CLUB vs ASFAR Club WOMAN OF THE MATCH, Tereza Engesha👏👏👏👏SECOND GAME of the #TotalEnergiesCAFWCL, SECOND AWARD 🙌🏾🙌🏾 #VihigaQueens #LegacyMakers pic.twitter.com/v32yoBcpsJ— Vihiga Queens FC (@Vihigaqueens) November 9, 2021 However, that did not come to be, and they traveled successfully and in time for the competition.At the continental stage, of course, things would not be as easy, with all the 8 participants boasting of being champions from their respective regions and from their respective domestic leagues.Nonetheless, Queens put up a brave fight in their opening game against Mamelodi Sundowns but fell by a solitary goal in the end, in a match that they needed to win to kick start their Champions League campaign with a bang.They came alive in the second game with a perfect response, staging another defensive masterclass against the silky and sleek AS FAR Club to win 2-0.THERE goes our FIRST WIN of the #TotalEnergiesCAFWCL sCAFWCL..FULL TIME..Vihiga Queens Football CLUB 2 (Violet Wanyonyi, Jentrix Shikangwa) : 0 ASFAR Club#VihigaQueens#LegacyMakers— Vihiga Queens FC (@Vihigaqueens) November 9, 2021 That was a big morale boost ahead of the last group match again Nigeria’s Rivers Angels who did not stand a chance of proceeding to the quarterfinal, with Queens needing a win or a draw depending on the result of the other match to progress.Shockingly, they crumbled in that match after absorbing much of the pressure in the first half after the referee awarded two penalties to Rivers Angels in the second half and the Nigerian side had a field day winning by not one, not two, not three, but four goals!Despite exiting the competition at that stage, there were standout players in the team. Notably, goalkeeper Lillian Awuor and forward Tereza Engesha caught the eyes of other clubs during the competition and even sparked rumors that they could be moving abroad.The good performance for the team, in general, has seen Shikangwa and Violet Nanjala nominated for SOYA Sportswoman of the year award and Most Promising Girl respectively.2021 SOYA Sportswoman of the Year nominees;Maxine Wahome – Motorsports Faith Kipyegon – Athletics Peres Jepchirchir – Athletics Jentrix Shikangwa – FootballAngela Okutoyi – Tennis#SoyaAwards2021 pic.twitter.com/L5uw9OEMuO— SOYAAwardsOfficial (@AwardsSoya) December 23, 2021 The first edition was done and dusted, and the local league is on as the 12 clubs battle to represent the country in the next edition, but who will it be in the end?
