Cameroon’s Rose out to make a statement in Women’s Champions League

Cameroon’s Rose out to make a statement

JOHANNESBURG, October 6 (ANA) – Cameroonian club Malabo Kings player Rose Bella will come into the African Women’s Champions League, in Egypt next month, with a point to prove.

In Bella’s first season for Kings, she has already become a vital cog in the side’s attack.

She excelled during the qualifiers for the Women’s Champions League in the Central Africa zone, played in August and September. Her outstanding performances largely contributed to the qualification of Kings.

In the first leg of first round qualifier, against Cameroon’s Louves Minproff at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaoundé, on August 1, Bella bagged a brace.

In the first leg against Congolese Amani FC, Rose Bella struck again, notching up two assists for a 4-1 win for Kings. The 1-0 victory in the return match in Kinshasa was more than enough to secure the only ticket in the Central Africa zone for the first edition of the African Women’s Champions League.

“To be qualified for the first Caf Women’s Champions League is an honor, it’s a great source of pride,” Bella told CAFOnline.com.

“Before, we saw it differently. It was only for the men; we weren’t thinking of the women. CAF has now thought about women, and I am very happy to be qualified for this first edition.

“During these qualifiers, we were a very united and a very solid group, respecting the coach’s instructions. We worked hard to qualify.”

At Kings, Bella had no difficulty fitting in.

“The integration was very easy because in the group, I found former teammates with whom I played in Cameroon and in the national team (Florence Fanta, Brigitte Omboudou). The team welcomed me and gave me the opportunity to express myself. Everything was very easy and very peaceful for me.”

With Malabo Kings, the forward has set ambitious goals for herself.

“My goals with the club in the short term are already to hoist it as high as possible, that is to say to be able to play at least the final of the African Champions League and why not, bring the trophy home?”

Bella added her individual goal: “To be the best player and best scorer, I would say woman of all matches in the African Champions League.”

With 12 goals already scored in 17 matches in an Equatorial Guinean league dominated by Malabo Kings (17 wins in 17 matches), she sits atop the scorers’ standings and intends to keep up the pace until the end of the year. – African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Michael Sherman