Tereza Engesha Makes History as Wuhan Jiangda Clinches Inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League Title

Kenyan international striker Tereza Engesha etched her name in football history today after helping her Chinese club Wuhan Jiangda win the first-ever AFC Women’s Champions League title in dramatic fashion, defeating Australia’s Melbourne City 5-4 on penalties following a tense 1-1 draw in regulation time.

Engesha, who started the final and featured for 86 minutes, played a role in Wuhan’s remarkable triumph. The final, held today, was a tense affair that saw Melbourne City – part of the globally renowned City Football Group – take the lead in the 75th minute through Shelby McMahon, who headed home from a set-piece to break the deadlock.

Wuhan Jiangda looked set for defeat, but deep into stoppage time, they were handed a lifeline. In the 95th minute, the referee awarded a penalty, and Chinese star Wang Shuang kept her cool to convert and level the scores, sending the match into extra time.

Despite both sides pressing for a winner during the additional 30 minutes, neither could find the back of the net. The match headed to a nail-biting penalty shootout, where Wuhan held their nerve to emerge 5-4 victors and lift the prestigious title.

Wuhan’s road to glory was far from easy. The Chinese side eliminated Japanese giants and tournament favorites Urawa Red Diamonds in the quarterfinals via a penalty shootout, then dispatched Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City FC in the semifinals to book their spot in the final.

For Engesha, the triumph was the culmination of an extraordinary campaign. The Kenyan striker joined Wuhan Jiangda in February 2025 from Hyundai Steel Red Angels of South Korea – a team she had helped guide to the quarterfinals of the same tournament.

Prior to today’s showdown, Melbourne City – who hadn’t conceded a goal in 360 minutes – looked set to extend their defensive record, but Wuhan’s resilience and late equalizer turned the tide. The Australian outfit, a sister club to English powerhouse Manchester City, is majority-owned by the City Football Group, with a minority stake held by Melbourne Storm.

Engesha’s triumph marks a historic milestone, making her the first Kenyan woman to win a continental Champions League title, and she now stands tall as a trailblazer for African women in football.