New name, but same team seeks magic in COSAFA qualifiers

Namibian side Ongos FC will take their place in the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier to be staged in Blantyre, Malawi from August 15-24, a new name for the competition but not a new team.

The club were formerly known as TURA Magic before they were sold in 2023 and the new owner renamed the side Ongos FC.

They played in the inaugural regional qualifier in 2021 but exited in the first round having lost both their games without scoring a goal.

To be fair, they were in an incredibly tough pool with Zimbabwe’s Black Rhinos Queens, who beat them 3-0 on the way to the final, and Green Buffaloes from Zambia, who won 1-0 and would lift the trophy the following season.

Ongos will be hoping for a much better outcome in 2024, though once again they have a tough Group A.

They open their campaign against Zimbabwe’s Herentals Queens on August 15, before a clash with University of the Western Cape from South Africa two days later. They complete their pool play against Green Buffaloes on August 19.

The top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals, so they will have their work cut out to be among those sides.

Head coach Shama Gure has been assessing new players in the build-up to the regional finals and is confident they can surprise.

“We are roping in five new players to strengthen the squad,” Gure was quoted by New Era. “We respect every team in the group, we won’t look down on any team, and we will remain humble, heading into this fixture.”

 

TOURNAMENT FINISHES
2021 – Group Stages

 

DATE	VENUE	OPPONENT	ROUND	RES	GOALSCORERS
29-8-21	Durban	Black Rhinos Queens	Group Stage	0-3	–
31-8-21	Durban	Green Buffaloes	Group Stage	0-1	–

GOALSCORERS
None

RECORDS AND SEQUENCES
Biggest win: –
Heaviest defeat: 0-3 vs Black Rhinos Queens (2021)
Highest scoring match: 0-3 vs Black Rhinos Queens (2021)
Longest winning run: –
Longest losing run: 2 games (from 29-08-21 – present)
Longest unbeaten run: –
Longest run without a win: 2 games (from 29-08-21 – present)
Total clean sheets: 0 matches (0.0%)
Total failed to score: 2 matches (100.0 %)
Most goals scored in a competition: 0 (2021)
Most goals conceded in a competition: 4 (2021)
Group stage wins: 0 out of 2 (0.0%)
Knockout stage ties wins: –