‘ Don’t Panic’ Shuaibu Urges Edo Queens to Bounce Back Ahead Of WAFU-B Semi-Final Clash vs USFA
Former Edo State Governor and Edo Queens supporter, Philip Shaibu, has urged the Nigerian champions to quickly put their 2-1 defeat to Ghanaian side Ampem Darkoa behind them and focus on their crucial semi-final clash against USFA
Edo Queens suffered their first defeat of the 2026 WAFU Zone B Women’s Champions League qualifiers on Monday, surrendering their lead to lose 2-1 to Ampem Darkoa in their final Group B encounter.
Despite the setback, the Benin City-based side had already secured their place in the semi-finals after impressive victories over AS Garde Nationale of Niger and ASEC Mimosas of Côte d’Ivoire.
Edo Queens opened their campaign with a commanding 7-0 demolition of AS Garde Nationale, with Chioma Moses scoring a hat-trick.
They followed that with a 3-1 victory over ASEC Mimosas to seal qualification for the knockout stage with a game to spare.
Against Ampem Darkoa, Atume Doosuur gave Edo Queens an early lead in the 11th minute, but the Ghanaian champions fought back after the interval to complete a 2-1 comeback victory and finish top of Group B with nine points.
Edo Queens finished second with six points from three matches.
In a message to the team, Shaibu urged the players not to allow the defeat to affect their confidence ahead of their semi-final test.
“Don’t panic, it’s just a one-off,” Shaibu said, acknowledging that the defeat hurts but stressing that it does not define the team or their impressive tournament campaign.
He urged the Queens to correct their mistakes and approach the semi-final with renewed determination.
“The battle is not over; there is still more to play for, and we believe the best is yet to come,” he added.
Edo Queens will face Group A winners and hosts USFA of Burkina Faso in the semi-final on Wednesday, September 2, at the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou.
The encounter is scheduled for 4:00pm local time, with a place in the WAFU-B final and a step closer to the CAF Women’s Champions League at stake.
“Keep fighting for the badge. Adaaaaa Edo Queens!” Shaibu concluded.
