African Women Championship Qualifier-Historic First For Ghana and Ivory Coast

Cote d’Ivoire sealed a historic qualification for the African Women’s Championship after routing Mozambique 5-0 in their second leg qualifier on Saturday in Maputo.

Les Elephantes who will be making their maiden appearance at the continent’s flagship women’s football event later in the year went through 12-0 on aggregate after a 7-0 victory in the first leg in Abidjan three weeks ago.

South Africa booked their place at the 2012 African Women’s Championship with a 2-1 victory over Zambia in their second leg qualifier on Saturday in Nelspruit.

The result saw Banyana Banyana complete a double over the She-Polopolo and advance to the finals 6-2 on aggregate.

The South Africans proved they were too strong for the Southern Africans counterparts as they outplayed their guests and cruise to a convincing win. With a comfortable 4-1 win from the first leg, veteran striker Portia Modise inspired the London 2012 Olympic Games bound-Banyana Banyana to tear apart the Zambians, a rising force in women’s football.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons qualified for the 2012 African Women’s Championship in grand style after beating Zimbabwe 4-0 in the second leg qualifier on Saturday in Lagos.

The Super Falcons achieved the feat of reaching the finals of every edition of the biennial championship since 1998, with a 6-0 aggregate win

Ghana’s Black Queens will for the first time not be present, when the roll call of teams for the 2012 African Women’s Championship is conducted. The Black Queens, thrice losing finalists lost out 8-9 on penalties after 1-1 tie to Cameroon in their second leg qualify on Sunday in Yaoundé.

After a one-all draw in the first leg held three weeks ago in Accra, the Ghanaians needed nothing short of victory to oust their hosts and striker Agnes Aduako put them on course with the opener on 28 minutes.

The Cameroonians responded positively and succeeded in drawing parity two minutes from time through Manie Christine to keep the tie 2-2 on aggregate. The Cameroonians, due for the London 2012 Olympic Games alongside South Africa emerged superior on penalties converting nine kicks against eight from the West Africans.

Ghana’s Black Queens have appeared at every edition of the biennial championship since its inception in 1998.

Elsewhere in Dar es Salaam, Ethiopia shocked hosts Tanzania with a lone goal victory and qualified 3-1 on aggregate. Bertawit Girma scored the only goal of the match in the second half.

Nigeria,Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, South Africa, DR Congo and hosts Equatorial Guinea have thus booked their places for the November championship.