Kenya Police Bullets beat Kampala Queens to begin CAF Women's CL Qualifiers on a high

Reigning Kenya Women’s Premier League Champions Kenya Police Bullets began their 2025 CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifiers campaign on a high after beating Uganda’s Kampala Queens 1-0 at the Nyayo National Stadium in Nairobi, Kenya.

Bullets, who were making their return to the zonal qualifiers for the second successive year, needed a 46th-minute goal from substitute Emily Kemunto Morang’a to secure the win, which puts them on top of Group A after the first round of matches.

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Kemunto, who was introduced at halftime in place of Lorna Nyabuto, needed just seconds to tip the game in the hosts’ favour, guiding an excellent cross from Mary Nthambi Kilonzi into the net.

The header, borne from a throw-in on the right, was all but proof of the dominance Beldine Odemba’s side had in the game, having carved several opportunities before that, but to no avail.

In front of a fairly limited crowd, Kenya Police Bullets could have got themselves into the lead in the first six minutes when Margret Kunihira got clear on the right wing, only for her fierce shot to be clawed away by Daisy Nakaziro.

Lucy Kwekwe was next in line for the hosts two minutes later, but saw her shot go over, with the goal gaping.

Bullets, despite dominating much of the ball, struggled to find a way past the Ugandan champions, and it was only after Odemba’s piece of magic that the deadlock was finally broken in the second half.

The score, many will argue, could have been more than the one goal, as Bullets spurned more opportunities in the final period.

Just after the opener, Kwekwe found Zaina Namuleme, but her diving header came off the foot of the post, while deep in stoppage time, Diana Wacera saw her long-range shot cannon off the crossbar.

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Late entrant Diana Achol also had a chance to extend the scores, only for her attempt to hit the side netting.

The Kenyan champions, who missed out on last year's continental championships in the final hurdle, will now look to book their place in the semifinals when they come up against Eritrean champions Denden on Wednesday, 10 September.

Defending champions stunned

Meanwhile, in the day’s early kickoff match at the same venue, defending zone champions Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) were handed a rough start after going 2-1 down to Rayon Sports of Rwanda in their opening Group B contest.

Corale Odette's brace gave Rayon a two-goal lead, before Rediet Matios halved the deficit in the 71st minute.