Tanzanian International Clara Cleitus Luvanga netted a hat-trick in Al-Nassr FC’s 7-0 win against Eastern Flames FC in a Saudi Arabia Women’s Premier League match played on Friday night.

Al-Nassr’s French import Nesrine Bahlouli gave her team the lead after only three minutes at their Al-Nassr Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Duda Francelino from Brazil later converted a penalty after 14 minutes to increase Al-Nassr’s lead.

A goal hungry Luvanga later netted three goals before the interval. Kathellen Sousa and Rinas Saleh Hetrsh Al Yami added two second half goals to ensure Al-Nassr registered a big win to maintain their lead on the log.

Luvanga’s team leads the table with 39 points from 13 matches played a 55 goals scored. Al-Ahli are second on the 10-team log with 31 points.

Luvanga joined the Saudi Arabian Women’s Premier League side in October 2023 and went on to win the League title.

Uganda Teen Cranes have advanced to the second round of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2025 qualifiers.

The Teen Cranes defeated Namibia 8-1 in the second leg played on Sunday at the Hamz Stadium, Nakibubo in Kampala.  

Coach Chryl Botes Ulanda’s team went ahead to advance on an 18-1 goal aggregate after they won the first leg 10-0.

Namibai’s Renalda Angel Tamara netted an own goal 15 minutes when she deflected a shot in her own net. Joan Kizza Namulindwa and Isabella Blick also got their names on the score sheet for Uganda to make it 3-0 at the interval.

In the second half, the Namibia team tried to re-organise themselves, but still failed to penetrate the Ugandan defending line. Namulindwa later scored her second goal after 50 minutes, while Rinah Ariho, and substitutes Shadia Nabirye and Rashida Nakalema also scored.

Namibia’s lone goal was netted by Shiwovanhu Haukongo.

Ulanda praised her team for the good display in the two legs. “We played very well and the team was really attacking well,” added the coach. Uganda will now face Kenya in the second round in March this year.

The other teams from the CECAFA Zone that will play in the second round include; Ethiopia, Tanzania and Burundi.

JKT Queens are the winners of the inaugural CAF U17 Girls Integrated Football Tournament (GIFT) 2025.

The all Tanzanian-final saw JKT Queens defeat TDS Academy 2-1 in the final played on Saturday at the Azam Complex, Chamazi in Dar es Salaam.

Mathias Winfrida gave TDS Girls the lead after 37 minutes, but JKT Queens returned after the interval a different side to score two goals.

The tournament’s top scorer Winifrida Hubert Gerald netted a quick brace after 70 minutes.

Esther Fred Chabruma, the JKT Queens coach said she was very proud of her players who won all their matches in the tournament. “It was hard work by the team that has seen us win the trophy,” added Chabruma.

Kenya Academy of Sport (KAS) who beat Uganda’s Boni Consilli 2-0 in the play-off on Friday finished third, while Kenya Elite Junior Academy came fifth after stopping Aigle Noir (Burundi) 4-0.

The tournament, a pioneering initiative by CAF has attracted seven teams from Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and South Sudan.

Awards

Fair Play Award – TDS Academy (Tanzania)

Top scorer – Winifrida Hubert Gerald (JKT Queens, Tanzania)

Best Goalkeeper – Nusra Jafari (TDS Academy, Tanzania)

Best Player – Mary Arone (TDS Academy, Tanzania)

Silver Medal – TDS Academy (Tanzania)

Bronze Medal – Kenya Academy of Sports (Kenya)

Uganda has made a good start in the qualifiers for Africa in for FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2025.

Skipper Agnes Nabukenya was on target six times as Uganda humbled Namibia 10-0 in the first leg of the first round of the qualifiers played at the Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo on Thursday in Kampala.

Nabukenya netted four goals, while Martha Babirye and Ritah Ariho also found the back of the net to give Uganda a 6-0 first half lead.

In the second half Namibia’s Baby Gladiators tried to fight back, but failed to penetrate Uganda’s defending line.

Joan Kizza was on hand to make it 7-0 for Uganda, while Nabukenya added two more goals. Substitute Isabella Blick Kabarozi also got her name on the score sheet to make it 10-0.

Uganda’s coach Sheryl Botes Ulanda said she was happy with the way her team played with aggressiveness. “I am very with the result. We need to keep positive and work hard ahead of the return leg,” added the coach.

The return leg will be played on January 19^th with the winner advancing to play Kenya in the second round.

The other teams from the CECAFA Zone that have earned walk-overs and advanced to the second round include Ethiopia and Tanzania.

Four teams will qualify from the qualifiers for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2025 in Morocco as representatives from Africa alongside Morocco being the hosts.