Kawempe Muslim Ladies eye history against Sundowns as Nabukenya leads charge in CAF WCL Semi-final
David GOMBE
Debutants Kawempe Muslim Ladies will take on two-time champions Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Women’s Champions League Egypt 2026 semi-finals at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia on Wednesday, 11 November at 5Pm.
Ayub Khalifah Kiyingi’s charges take on a side aiming for a third title and a fourth final appearance, but the Ugandan champions have already re-written the history books in Egypt.
Sundowns topped Group A with seven points after a 0-0 draw with FC Masar and victories over Lekié Football Filles (2-1) and FUS Rabat (3-0).
Kawempe finished second in Group B on six points, advancing on three-way head-to-head criteria after a 3-2 win over AS FAR, a 2-1 loss to Ampem Darkoa and a 3-0 win over USFAS Bamako.
History beckons
Kawempe are aiming to become the first East African side to reach the final. If they and Lekié Football Filles both reach the final, it will be the first final between two debutants since the inaugural edition in 2021.
Kiyingi’s side has scored in each of their three group matches the first East African club to score in all three group-stage matches at a single edition. No East African club has scored in four successive matches at the finals.
Their 3-0 victory over USFAS Bamako in the final group match is also the biggest win by an East African club at the finals.
Nabukenya the star
At the heart of Kawempe’s fairytale run is Agnes Nabukenya, who scored twice against USFAS Bamako and has four goals at the 2026 finals the most scored by an individual player for an East African club at the finals.
Nabukenya is also the first player representing an East African club to score two braces at the finals, with three of her four goals coming in the second half of matches.
Against USFAS, she attempted 14 shots, four of them on target both match-high totals.
Jovia Nakagolo scored Kawempe’s second goal against USFAS, her first at the finals. She now has two goal involvements, having assisted against Ampem Darkoa.
Defensive solidity
Kawempe were dominant against USFAS, recording 10 shots on target, including seven in the first half, while they did not face a shot on target in the first half and faced just two in the second half their fewest in a match so far.
Asia Nakibuuka contested 14 duels against USFAS and won 11, more than any other player.
Goalkeeper Josephine Nambuya kept her first clean sheet against USFAS. She had conceded four goals from the first 12 shots on target she faced, but has now made 10 saves from 14 shots on target faced at the finals, a save percentage of approximately 71%.
Kawempe attempted 384 passes and completed 267 against USFAS, a pass-completion rate of approximately 70%.