By Agnes Amondi,

Hosts Sierra Leone opens the maiden edition of West Africa Football Union (WAFU) Zone A Women’s Championship on Tuesday 25 when they tackle Cape Verde at the Bo Stadium.

The organizers have confirmed the participation of eight teams for the tourney which runs upto March 7.

Matches will be played in Bo and Makeni with the final penciled for the Siaka Steven Stadium in the capital, Freetown. 

The host who played to a 2-2 draw in their own turf against Liberia in an international friendly had an intense two-week under their new coach Abdulai Bah, who views Cape Verde as “new comers into female football”. 

“It’s has been a herculean task trying to re-build a fallen female team. That not withstanding, I now have multiple choice of players to select from and put together a final squad of twenty players for this very vital tournament that will add glory to our country’s female football history,” Bah said.

“We are well prepared physically and mentally with nothing to worry about other than the tactics I will use to guide the team to beat Cape Verde on Tuesday.” he added.

Since 2010, last two appearances in an international tournament by the Sierra Queens was against Guinea in the CAF Women’s Championship, which was also part of the Olympic qualification process but lost 3-2 and drew 1–1 with their Guinean counterparts during the preliminary round.

Meanwhile, Cape Verde has arrived safely in Freetown with a 25-men delegation, marking them the first among the seven visiting countries expected to join host Sierra Leone in the West African territory for the championship.

The first time visitors to Sierra Leone will also be searching for their first international victory against the host nation as they clash thiis Tuesday in their opening Group-A fixture.  Guinea and Senegal will collide in the second group A match of the day.

FixturesTuesday 25

Sierra Leone vs Cape Verde – Bo Stadium – 2:00 pm (WAT) 
Guinea vs Senegal – Bo Stadium – 4:30 pm (WAT)
Group A

Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Senegal, Guinea
Group B

Mali, Gambia, Liberia, Guinea Bissau