With just 3 days remaining before the second edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League kicks off in Morocco, Tshabalala said both Zambia’s Green Buffaloes and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns have a 70% chance of winning the tournament but tipped the strikers for the two Southern African clubs to improve.

He said: “Green Buffaloes are good defensive-wise; when you look at their defense, it’s the same that plays for the Copper queens. They are solid but I think they still need to improve their attacking game. They need to sharpen their attack.

“When I look at my team (Mamelodi Sundowns) we need to improve in terms of converting chances. We haven’t scored many goals previously and we need to improve as we go to the Champions League.”

In response to the comments by his South African counterpart, Buffaloes coach Charles Haluboono has told BolaNews that his technical bench has been working around the clock to improve the team in their “weakest” departments by signing new strikers.

“In terms of preparing the team, we have done everything, especially in terms of working on the weakest points of the team,” he said.

“Like was the case during the COSAFA, we struggled upfront, our strongest point is the midfield so that’s why when it came to reinforcing the team, our focus has been on our striking force and we have brought in, Jesse Zulu, Lilian Mwaba, Mawata Chilenge and Esther Siamfuko ,” explained Haluboono.

The coach who recently guided Buffaloes to their first-ever COSAFA women’s club Champions League title which led to their qualification for the CAF Champions League has also applauded CAF for ensuring that the prize money is introduced at this year’s edition.

” This is a great move by CAF, and it will motivate all the participating teams at the tournament, I could like command them for introduceding the prize money”, he said

The prize money introduced at this year’s edition includes USD 400,000 for the winners and USD 250, 000 will be for the runners-up with the two losing semi-finalists taking home a USD 200, 000 each.

Haluboono further revealed that Buffaloes’ primary target at the competition will be to qualify from Group A where they were drawn against AS FAR of Morocco, Simba Queens of Tanzania and Determine Girls of Liberia.

“Our first target at the tournament will be to qualify from the Group then focus on progressing further in the tournament, maybe until the final”, he said

CAF launched the CAF Women’s champions League in 2021 which was held in Egypt and won by Mamelodi Sundowns after beating Hasaacas Ladies of Ghana 2-0.

The competition will kick off on 30th October 2022 with the final Scheduled for 13th November 2022.