Kawempe Muslim script history with stunning comeback against African champions AS FAR

Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC announced their arrival on the continental stage in spectacular fashion, defeating Moroccan giants AS FAR 3-2 in a dramatic Group B encounter at the 2026 CAF Women’s Champions League on Monday, 2 November. Making their maiden appearance at the prestigious competition, the Ugandan champions produced a remarkable comeback at the Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia, Egypt, to overcome Africa’s reigning champions and secure one of the most memorable victories in the club’s history.

Agnes Nabukenya was the heroine of the afternoon, scoring twice, while team captain Shakirah Nyinagahirwa contributed the other goal as Kawempe recovered from an early setback to claim all three points. The result marked a dream start to their continental campaign and sent a powerful message about the growing competitiveness of Ugandan women’s football.

The encounter was a compelling display of character, attacking ambition and resilience from the Ugandan champions. Despite conceding early, Kawempe refused to be intimidated by AS FAR’s experience and continental pedigree. They fought their way back into the contest, took the lead and, after surrendering their advantage, found the determination to deliver a decisive late winner.

AS FAR needed just six minutes to break the deadlock through experienced forward Fatima Tagnout, whose curling effort from outside the penalty area beat goalkeeper Josephine Nambuya. The early breakthrough gave the Moroccan champions the perfect start and placed immediate pressure on a Kawempe side still adjusting to the demands of their first appearance at the continental finals.

The North African giants subsequently enjoyed greater control of proceedings, protecting their slender advantage until the interval. However, Kawempe returned for the second half with renewed urgency and attacking purpose, determined to change the course of the match rather than allow their more experienced opponents to dictate the contest.

Their response produced an equaliser in the 53rd minute, with Nabukenya providing the breakthrough. The forward received an intelligent pass from captain Nyinagahirwa, controlled the ball before unleashing a powerful low effort into the far corner, leaving the AS FAR goalkeeper with little chance of keeping the ball out.

The equaliser transformed the contest and gave the Ugandan champions renewed belief. Barely six minutes later, Kawempe completed a remarkable turnaround through Nyinagahirwa, who capped an excellent attacking move with a moment of individual brilliance.

The captain timed her run into the penalty area perfectly, displayed excellent control with her first touch and unleashed a powerful effort past the goalkeeper from a tight angle. Her 59th-minute finish sent Kawempe into a 2-1 lead, bringing the debutants within touching distance of a famous victory.

With the advantage secured, Kawempe had an opportunity to manage the game intelligently, maintain their defensive shape and exploit the confidence generated by their comeback. However, their continued pursuit of another goal left spaces that AS FAR were quick to exploit, allowing the Moroccan champions to regain a foothold in the encounter.

AS FAR restored parity in the 69th minute following a counterattack that ended with Nadia Lafta being brought down inside the penalty area by Nambuya. The referee immediately pointed to the spot, handing the defending champions an opportunity to bring the scores level.

Substitute Nadia El Madani assumed responsibility and calmly converted the penalty, sending the ball into the left corner. Although Nambuya anticipated the direction correctly, she could not prevent the effort from finding the net as AS FAR made it 2-2.

The equaliser threatened to undo Kawempe’s impressive comeback, but the Ugandan champions remained determined to find another breakthrough. Both sides continued to push forward, producing an increasingly tense finish as the possibility of a draw began to emerge.

Kawempe created promising opportunities to reclaim the lead, with Hadijah Babirye testing the AS FAR goalkeeper before substitute Anitah Namata came close with an effort that struck the side netting. Their attacking intent remained evident, although the clinical finishing required to separate the two sides was initially missing.

At the opposite end, AS FAR almost punished Kawempe again when Nadia Lafta found herself in a one-on-one situation with Nambuya. This time, however, the goalkeeper produced an excellent save to keep her side in the contest and preserve the possibility of a late winner.

The Moroccan champions continued searching for a decisive goal, but Kawempe’s defensive resistance received another crucial contribution from Babirye. With Nambuya beaten, the defender produced a vital goal-line clearance to deny AS FAR what appeared to be a certain goal, preserving the 2-2 scoreline and giving her teammates another opportunity to snatch victory.

That opportunity arrived in the fourth minute of added time. Latifah Nakasi released Nabukenya, who demonstrated remarkable composure in front of goal, calmly slotting the ball past the advancing goalkeeper to complete her brace and restore Kawempe’s advantage at 3-2.

It was a fitting conclusion to an outstanding performance from the young forward, whose two goals had transformed a challenging afternoon into a historic occasion. Her late intervention sparked jubilant celebrations among the Ugandan contingent as Kawempe moved within moments of securing a famous victory.

When the final whistle sounded, the magnitude of the achievement was unmistakable. Kawempe had not only collected three valuable points in their opening Group B fixture but had also become the first Ugandan side to defeat the reigning African champions in the competition. For a club making its maiden appearance at the finals, the result represented an extraordinary introduction to continental football.

Beyond the celebrations, the encounter also provided important lessons for head coach Ayub Khalifa Kiyingi and his technical team. Kawempe demonstrated impressive attacking quality, determination and resilience, particularly in their response to conceding. However, the defensive spaces that allowed AS FAR to recover, together with the penalty conceded, highlighted areas requiring attention. Their forwards will also need to become more clinical after creating several opportunities to establish a more comfortable advantage.

The significance of Kawempe’s victory becomes even clearer when considered against AS FAR’s remarkable continental pedigree. The Moroccan giants are the only club to have featured in every edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League since the competition was introduced in 2021. They have won the title twice, in 2022 and 2025, finished runners-up in 2024 and secured third place in both 2021 and 2023. Their consistency has seen them reach at least the semi-finals in every previous edition.

AS FAR’s experience is equally reflected in their tournament statistics. Before Monday’s encounter, the Moroccan side had played 25 matches at the finals, recording 17 victories, three draws and five defeats. They had also won 14 of their previous 18 encounters against tournament debutants, drawing once and losing three times. Kawempe’s victory therefore disrupted an impressive record and demonstrated that continental pedigree alone could not guarantee success against the determined Ugandan champions.

Monday’s fixture also marked the first-ever meeting between the two clubs at the finals. While AS FAR were making their sixth consecutive appearance, Kawempe were carrying Uganda’s hopes in the country’s first-ever participation. Uganda’s qualification also made the country the 18th nation to feature in the competition, while Kawempe became the 29th different club to grace the tournament.

The Ugandan champions secured their historic qualification through an outstanding campaign at the CECAFA zonal qualifiers held in Kigali, Rwanda, in August 2026. Kawempe won all their matches, scoring 13 goals without conceding, underlining their dominance at the regional tournament.

Their continental breakthrough was built on an equally impressive domestic campaign. Kawempe secured the 2025/26 league title after winning 16 of their 22 matches, suffering only two defeats and conceding just 13 goals. The achievement reflected the team’s consistency throughout the season and further cemented their position among the leading forces in Ugandan women’s football.

Much of Kawempe’s sustained success has been shaped by head coach Ayub Khalifa Kiyingi, who has been at the helm since 2001. His long-standing involvement with the club has played an important role in building competitive teams capable of challenging for domestic honours while nurturing players who continue to contribute to the growth of women’s football in Uganda. The victory over AS FAR represents another significant milestone in that journey.

For Nabukenya, the performance marked another important chapter in an already promising career. The 17-year-old was entrusted with the captain’s armband in 2025 during the absence of skipper Nyinagahirwa, who had been sidelined for more than two years through injury. Her growing leadership responsibilities and influence within the team have since reflected her development into one of Kawempe’s most important players.

Nabukenya had already established herself as one of the exciting prospects in Ugandan women’s football after being named Player of the Season during the 2023/24 league campaign, having scored 10 goals. Her brace against AS FAR further underlined her quality and importance to the side, with the stoppage-time winner providing a memorable climax to her outstanding continental debut.

For Kawempe Muslim Ladies FC, the victory means considerably more than three points in the group standings. Defeating a two-time continental champion and the reigning African title holders on their first-ever appearance at the finals is a landmark achievement for the club and a significant moment for Ugandan women’s football. It is also a testament to the progress achieved through years of domestic competition, player development and sustained ambition.

Having earned their place through domestic excellence and an unbeaten CECAFA qualifying campaign, Kawempe have now demonstrated that they can compete with and defeat some of Africa’s most established women’s football clubs. Their continental journey could hardly have begun in more memorable fashion, although maintaining this standard will present the next major challenge.

The Ugandan champions will return to action on Thursday, 5 November, when they face Ghanaian side Ampem Darkoa Ladies in their second Group B encounter. Having already collected three points against the defending champions, Kawempe will be determined to build on their historic opening performance, strengthen their position in the group and move closer to securing a place in the knockout stages.

Finance Trust Bank FUFA WSL 2026/2027 Fixtures.

FWSL - MATCH DAY 1 FIXTURE

September 19, 2026 (1) 3 - 0 2026/2027 N/A Kawempe Muslims LFC vs Jinja United WFC
September 20, 2026 (1) 0 - 1 2026/2027 N/A She Corporate FC vs St.Noa Girls Zana FC
September 20, 2026 (1) 0 - 3 2026/2027 N/A URA Ladies FC vs KCCA WFC
September 20, 2026 (1) 1 - 0 2026/2027 N/A Makerere University vs Amus College WFC
September 20, 2026 (1) 0 - 1 2026/2027 N/A LADY DOVES FC vs Uganda Martyrs LWFC
September 20, 2026 (1) 0 - 3 2026/2027 N/A Rines SS WFC vs She Maroons FC