Edo Queens reclaim WAFU-B crown after penalty shootout victory over Ampem Darkoa
Edo Queens reclaimed the WAFU-B Women’s Champions League title with a dramatic 4-1 penalty shootout victory over Ghana’s Ampem Darkoa Ladies after a 2-2 draw in regulation time in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on Saturday night. The Nigerian champions trailed twice—first to Beline Nyarkoh’s 2nd-minute goal and again to her 74th-minute brace—before equalizing through Doosuur Anastasia Atume (4th minute) and Oluebube Umejiaku (94th minute) to force the shootout, where they converted four penalties to Ampem Darkoa’s one.
The win defends their regional crown, secures their place in the upcoming CAF Women’s Champions League finals (where they aim to improve on their 2024 fourth-place finish), and marks their second WAFU-B title after first winning it in 2024. It completes a remarkable turnaround from their 2-1 group-stage loss to Ampem Darkoa, following semi-final victories where Edo Queens thrashed hosts USFA 5-1 and Ampem Darkoa defeated FC Dynamique 4-1.
Individually, Doosuur Anastasia won the Golden Boot as top scorer of the 2026 edition, and Oluwakemi Adegbuyi was named Best Player of the Tournament. The victory underscored the squad’s mental resilience, having overcome deficits twice against Ampem Darkoa to claim the title.
What lessons can Nigerian sports teams draw from Edo Queens’ ability to overcome early setbacks and win in high-pressure situations?