Mamelodi Sundowns’ women’s team booked a spot in the semifinals of the inaugural Caf Women’s Champions League by beating Nigerian champions Rivers Angels 1-0 in their second Group B match at Al-Salam Stadium in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday night.

Sundowns central defender and skipper Zanele Nhlapho scored the all-important goal in the 16th minute after Angels defenders failed to deal with Andisiwe Mgcoyi’s corner.

There were question marks on whether Nhlapho’s low strike had crossed the line but Rwandan referee Salama Mukansanga did not hesitate in awarding the goal.

With this defeat, the second after losing 3-0 to Moroccan club AS Far in the opening match on Saturday, Angels, one of the pre-tournament favourites, were eliminated.

Only one team between Vihiga Queens of Kenya and AS Far can reach Sundowns’ six points in the last group matches. After losing to Sundowns, the Queens bounced back with a 2-0 win over AS Far early on Tuesday.

Striker Melinda Kgadiete helped Banyana Ba Style beat the Queens 1-0 in their opening match on Saturday. Coach Jerry Tshabalala had urged his side to confirm their semifinal spot with a match to spare.

Sundowns midfielder Oratile Mokwena, who won woman of the match, said: “The match was tough as we expected, so we tried to stay composed and play our style”

“It’s an honour to win the woman of the match award. As a midfielder as, in midfield the team gets affected by my performance, so when we play as a unit it gets us where we want.

“I’m not surprised by winning the award because every one of us deserves this, so I consider it to be for the whole team.”

Sundowns' women qualified for the finals by winning the inaugural Women’s Champions League Cosafa qualifiers in September with a 3-0 victory over Black Rhinos Queens of Zimbabwe in the final.

Sundowns, the women's Hollywoodbets Super League leaders and defending champions, entered the Women's Champions League finals on the brink of retaining their domestic title, needing just a point to seal the championship.

They have enjoyed excellent form domestically throughout the season and are without a defeat for a second campaign running.

even though they have managed two wins in succession the SA champions may need some improvement in the Champions League finals if they are to be crowned, with Ghana's Hasaaca Ladies recording far better scoring rate so far.

Hasaaca have beaten Equatorial Guinea's Malabo Kings 3-1 and Mali's AS Mandé 3—0 to top Group A.

The final will be played on November 19.