By: Emalex Brown | Sports Hunter South Sudan
Joint Stars FC’s historic run in the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers ended with a fourth-place finish after a 6-1 defeat to Commercial Bank of Ethiopia Ladies FC in the third-place playoff.
The result brought an end to a landmark campaign for the South Sudanese champions, who became the first South Sudanese club to reach the semi-finals of the CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifiers.
Yei Joint Stars had a difficult afternoon against the Ethiopian side, who took control after the opening half-hour.
Etsegenet Girma broke the deadlock in the 34th minute to put Commercial Bank of Ethiopia ahead.
Yei Joint Stars responded quickly, with Moureen Nankinga winning a penalty after being brought down inside the box. Nankinga stepped up in the 37th minute and confidently converted from the spot to level the match at 1-1.
However, the Super Queens were unable to maintain their momentum.
Beshadu Tadese restored CBE’s advantage in the 41st minute, sending the Ethiopian side into half-time with a 2-1 lead.
CBE then pulled away after the break. Mahelet Bekel made it 3-1 in the 48th minute before Emush Dandamo added a fourth in the 75th minute.
Just two minutes later, Mihiret Ayele struck again to make it 5-1, before Rediet Matios completed the rout in the 84th minute.
Yei Joint Stars struggled to find a response after conceding the second goal, while Commercial Bank of Ethiopia capitalised on their defensive mistakes to secure a comprehensive victory.
The defeat leaves Yei Joint Stars with a record of two wins, one draw and two losses from their five matches in the CECAFA qualifiers.
Despite the heavy loss, the Super Queens' campaign represents a significant milestone for women's football in South Sudan.
Their semi-final appearance was the first by a South Sudanese club in the CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA qualifiers, giving the team valuable experience against some of the region's strongest sides.
Under Head Coach Sony Harriet, Yei Joint Stars showed that South Sudanese women's clubs can compete on the regional stage and have taken another important step forward.
The Super Queens will now turn their attention to domestic football, with the South Sudan Women’s Premier League expected to kick off in September 2026.
Yei Joint Stars will hope to build on their historic CECAFA campaign and translate the experience gained in Rwanda into another strong domestic season.
