South Africa: Mamelodi Sundowns and Nsingizini Hotspurs Profiles

South Africa: Mamelodi Sundowns and Nsingizini Hotspurs Profiles

The CAF Women's Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier Botswana 2026 will be played in Gaborone from August 20-29.

Herentals Queens and Lesotho Defence Force profiles

The CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier Botswana 2026 will be played in Gaborone from August 20-29. There are eight teams competing this year as they all seek the single place reserved for the winners at the CAF Women’s Champions League continental finals. Here are profiles of two of the teams: regular competitors Herentals Queens from Zimbabwe and the returning Lesotho Defence Force.   HERENTALS QUEENS Herentals Queens will compete at the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier for the third time in as many years, having been consistent performers in their domestic league. They are the second team from Zimbabwe to compete overall after Black Rhinos Queens reached the final of the inaugural regional championship five years ago, but missed out on qualification for the continental finals when they were beaten by South African side Mamelodi Sundowns. Queens reached the semi-finals on debut in 2024 but lost 1-0 to Gaborone United. This time around, they face last year’s beaten finalists ZESCO Ndola Girls from Zambia, defending champions Gaborone United of Botswana and Lesotho Defence Force in what is a tough Group A. They started their 2024 campaign with a 3-1 victory over Ongos SC from Namibia, before a 1-0 win over 2022 champions Green Buffaloes showed their potential. They lost their final pool match 1-0 to eventual champions UWC Ladies from South Africa and could not get past the semi-finals following that narrow defeat to Gaborone United. They finished second in their three-team pool in 2025, missing out on a semi-final place as one of the best runners-up on goal difference. Queens went down 2-0 to Mozambique’s Costa do Sol in their opener, but bounced back to beat Olympic de Moroni of Comoros 4-2. TOURNAMENT FINISHES 2025 – Group Stages 2024 – Semifinals 2023 – Did not qualify 2022 – Did not qualify 2021 – Did not qualifyDATE VENUE OPPONENT ROUND RES GOALSCORERS15-8-24 Blantyre Ongos SC Group Stages 3-1 Mafuruse, Tumbare, Chikore17-8-24 Blantyre Green Buffaloes Group Stages 1-0 Mafuruse19-8-24 Blantyre UWC Ladies Group Stages 1-2 Moyo22-8-24 Blantyre Gaborone United Semifinals 0-1 23-8-25 Johannesburg Costa do Sol Group Stages 0-2 27-8-25 Johannesburg Olympic de Moroni Group Stages 4-2 Nyagumbo 3, Mabika  GOALSCORERS 3 goals - Nyagumbo 2 goals – Mafuruse 1 goal – Chikore, Mabika, Moyo, TumbareHAT-TRICKS Morelife Nyagumbo (vs Olympic de Moroni, 2025)RECORDS AND SEQUENCES Biggest win: 3-1 vs Ongos SC (2024); 4-2 vs Olympic de Moroni (2025) Heaviest defeat: 0-2 vs Costa do Sol (2025) Highest scoring match: 4-2 vs Olympic de Moroni (2025) Longest winning run: 2 games (15-08-24 to 17-08-24) Longest losing run: 3 games (from 19-08-24 to 23-08-25) Longest unbeaten run: 2 games (15-08-24 to 17-08-24) Longest run without a win: 3 games (from 19-08-24 to 23-08-25) Total clean sheets: 1 match (17%) Total failed to score: 1 match (33%) Most goals scored in a competition: 5 (2024) Most goals conceded in a competition: 4 (2024, 2025) Group stage wins: 3 out of 5 (60%) Knockout stage wins: 0 out of 1 (0%) LESOTHO DEFENCE FORCE Lesotho Defence Force return for a third appearance at the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier, but their first since 2023, having also competed in the inaugural event five years ago. Their appearance in 2021 was a tough introduction to the regional competition as they lost 6-0 to eventual champions Mamelodi Sundowns and by the same scoreline to Double Action Ladies from Botswana. They did, however, manage a first point when they drew 1-1 with Manzini Wanderers from Eswatini. It was a much more competitive showing in 2023, but again they exited in the group stages. They drew their opener 1-1 with Ntopwa FC from Malawi before narrow defeats to Botswana’s Double Action Ladies (1-0) and Zambia’s Green Buffaloes (2-1). They have been drawn in a tough Group A alongside defending champions Gaborone United, last season’s beaten finalists ZESCO Ndola Girls and Herentals Queens from Zimbabwe.TOURNAMENT FINISHES 2025 – Did not qualify 2024 – Did not qualify 2023 – Group Stages 2022 – Did not qualify 2021 – Group StagesDATE VENUE OPPONENT ROUND RES GOALSCORERS26-8-21 Durban Mamelodi Sundowns Group Stages 0-6 28-8-21 Durban Manzini Wanderers Group Stages 1-1 Lebakeng30-08-21 Durban Double Action Ladies Group Stages 0-6 30-8-23 Durban Ntopwa Group Stages 1-1 Mohlolo1-9-23 Durban Double Action Ladies Group Stages 0-1 4-9-23 Durban Green Buffaloes Group Stages 1-2 Nthala ogGOALSCORERS 1 goal – Lebakeng, Mohlolo Own goal – Nthala (Green Buffaloes)HAT-TRICKS NoneRECORDS AND SEQUENCES Biggest win: Heaviest defeat: 0-6 vs Mamelodi Sundowns (2021); 0-6 vs Double Action Ladies (2021) Highest scoring match: 0-6 vs Mamelodi Sundowns (2021); 0-6 vs Double Action Ladies (2021) Longest winning run: Longest losing run: 2 games (from 04-09-23 – present) Longest unbeaten run: 1 game (twice) Longest run without a win: 6 games (from 28-08-21 – present) Total clean sheets: 0 matches (0%) Total failed to score: 3 matches (50%) Most goals scored in a competition: 2 (2023) Most goals conceded in a competition: 13 (2021) Group stage wins: 0 out of 6 (0%) Knockout stage wins: