Shaibu urges Edo Queens to bounce back against USFA
Former Edo State Governor and passionate Edo Queens supporter, Philip Shaibu, has urged the Nigerian champions to quickly put their 2-1 defeat to Ghanaian side Ampem Darkoa behind them and turn their attention to Wednesday’s crucial semi-final clash against hosts USFA.
Edo Queens suffered their first defeat of the 2026 WAFU Zone B Women’s Champions League qualifiers on Monday, surrendering an early lead as Ampem Darkoa fought back to secure a 2-1 victory in their final Group B encounter.
The defeat, however, did little to derail the Nigerian champions’ impressive campaign, as Edo Queens had already secured their place in the semi-finals following convincing victories over AS Garde Nationale of Niger and ASEC Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire.
Edo Queens began the tournament in emphatic fashion, thrashing AS Garde Nationale 7-0, with Chioma Moses grabbing a hat-trick.
They followed up with a 3-1 victory over ASEC Mimosas, a result that confirmed their qualification for the knockout stage with a match to spare.
Against Ampem Darkoa, Atume Doosuur put Edo Queens ahead in the 11th minute, but the Ghanaian champions responded strongly after the break, scoring twice to complete the comeback and finish top of Group B with nine points.
Edo Queens settled for second place with six points from their three matches.
Reacting to the defeat, Shaibu called on the players to remain confident and focus on the bigger prize.
“Don’t panic, it’s just a one-off,” Shaibu said, acknowledging the disappointment of the defeat while reminding the team that it does not diminish their strong showing in the competition.
He urged the players and technical crew to learn from their mistakes, regroup and approach the semi-final with renewed determination.
“The battle is not over; there is still more to play for, and we believe the best is yet to come,” he added.
Edo Queens will face Group A winners and hosts USFA of Burkina Faso in the semi-final on Wednesday, September 2, at the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou.
The match is scheduled for 4:00pm local time, with a place in the WAFU-B final and a crucial step towards qualification for the CAF Women’s Champions League at stake.
Shaibu concluded his message with a rallying call to the Nigerian champions: “Keep fighting for the badge. Adaaaaa Edo Queens!”
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