TP Mazembe and FC Masar meet in the CAF Women’s Champions League third-place play-off at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia on Friday, each looking to end their campaign with the consolation of a bronze medal in what will be the first ever meeting between the sides.
It is also the second consecutive edition in which both have reached the last four; Mazembe were champions in 2024, while Masar finished third, and both have become reliable performers deep into the tournament.
Mazembe come into the game with a history of success against Egyptian opposition, having beaten Wadi Degla 1-0 on debut in 2022, while Masar continue their record of facing Central African sides after claiming a 5-0 win over Equatorial Guinea’s FC 15 de Agosto earlier in the current edition, their biggest victory at the finals. Mazembe also have experience against host clubs, having beaten AS FAR 1-0 in Rabat to lift the 2024 title.
This year’s play-off is the fifth at the finals. Three previous games were settled in open play, while only one, in 2024,went to penalties, when Masar and Edo Queens drew 0-0 before the Egyptians won the shoot-out 4-3
A win for either side on Friday would make them only the third club to finish in the top three in successive tournaments, after AS FAR and Mamelodi Sundowns. Masar have scored six goals from 19 shots on target with a tournament-leading conversion rate of 18.18%, while Mazembe have scored seven with a rate of 14.58%.
Mazembe have made 924 successful passes to Masar’s 851, a statistic that again places them just behind AS FAR, who have completed 1 300.
–Caf/ChannelAfrica–
