Yei Joint Stars reach CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA semi-finals

Yei Joint Stars FC have reached the semi-finals of the CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifiers in Rwanda after a 1–1 draw with hosts Rayon Sports.

The result was enough to send the South Sudanese side through to the next stage of the tournament.

Yei Joint Stars captain Sumaya Malili Taban says the team showed resilience and discipline to secure their place in the semi-finals.

She says the team knew they faced a strong Rwandan side but remained focused on getting a result that would take them through.

“Rwanda has been a good team, and, uh, they are really very strong physical. Mentally, they were really good. And they came with the aim of what? Uh, winning also that, that, the game today. But with our own abilities, we also had that heart. We wanted to win the game today,” she said.

Taban says the team was determined to avoid another early exit after previous disappointments in the competition.

Yei Joint Stars had earlier recorded their first win in the tournament by beating Djibouti’s FAD FC 2-0.

They had opened their campaign with a 3-0 loss to Uganda’s Kampala Queens.

The semi-final appearance marks a major step for Yei Joint Stars as they continue their campaign on the regional stage.