The Royal Ladies of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) failed in their bid to defend the Africa Cup Club Championship trophy in Zimbabwe, losing on penalties to Kenya's Lakers to settle for a silver medal on Saturday.
It was a sweet revenge for the Kenyans, who had earlier lost 2-0 to the Royal Ladies in the group stage. The final ended 1-1 after regulation time in a gruelling contest, with Royal Ladies skipper Elizabeth Opoku giving the Ghanaians a deserved lead.
However, the Kenyans fought back strongly and managed to pull an equaliser, forcing the game into a penalty shoot-out. The Ghanaians were unlucky as they surrendered the title, with Lakers converting two of their kicks with composure to emerge victorious.
The Royal Ladies were outstanding in the group stage, winning all three matches -- a 2-0 victory over Lakers of Kenya, a 6-2 win against Bulawayo of Zimbabwe, and a 4-0 triumph over Hippo Valley.
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Their impressive performances earned them all the Best Player awards in the group stage and secured a place in the final.
Despite missing out on a sixth continental title and a fifth consecutive crown, the Royal Ladies recorded their fifth silver medal since their maiden participation in the tournament in 2008. Their last silver finish was in Egypt in 2019.
In the men's third-place match, the Ghana Revenue Authority team won bronze after defeating Hippo Valley on penalties. The game ended 2-2 in regulation time before GRA emerged on top in the shoot-out. Luke Damalie was named Player of the Match as the men achieved their target of finishing on the podium.
In the individual awards, Matilda Addison and Eugene Acheampong were named Best Goalkeepers of the tournament, while Royal Ladies captain Elizabeth Opoku finished as the Top Scorer with seven goals.
