NEWS
Rwanda to face DR Congo in FIFA U-17 Women World Cup qualifiers
Four teams from the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) have been drawn in the first round of the FIFA U-17 Women World Cup India 2022 qualifiers.
Rwanda have been drawn to face the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea will battle South Sudan, While Kenya take on the Equatorial Guinea. The first round to be played among ten teams will be played between January 13-29th.
The draws for the FIFA U-17 Women World Cup India 2022 for Africa were conducted this afternoon in Cairo, Egypt at the headquarters of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). CAF Director of competitions Khaled Nassar conducted the draw, assisted by Egyptian footballer Nadine Ghazy.
A total of 29 teams entered the qualifiers to battle for the three slots for Africa.
The second round will see Djibouti take on Burundi, Tanzania face Botswana, while Uganda battle Ethiopia. The winner between Eritrea and South Sudan will face Cameroon in the second round, while victory for Kenya against Equatorial Guinea in the first round will see them take on South Africa in round 2 .
The winner between DR Congo and Rwanda will face Nigeria in round two. According to CAF four rounds will be played to determine which three teams qualify to represent Africa.
The FIFA U-17 Women World Cup India was originally scheduled to be held in India between in November 2020. But because of the challenges of COVID-19 was postponed, before being cancelled. Instead, FIFA selected India as hosts of the next edition of the tournament in 2022.
First Round
M1 – Eritrea v South Sudan
M2 – Equatorial Guinea v Kenya
M3 – DR Congo v Rwanda
M4 – Senegal v Sierra Leone
M5 – Benin v Mauritania
Second Round
S1 – Winner M1 v Cameroon
S2 – Zambia v Namibia
S3 – Djibouti v Burundi
S4 – Tanzania v Botswana
S5 – Winner M2 v South Africa
S6 – Uganda v Ethiopia
S7 – Egypt v Guinea Bissau
S8 – Nigeria v Winner M 3
S9 – Liberia v Guinea
S10 – Winner M 4 v Ghana
S11 – Niger v Sao Tome
S12 – Winner M 5 v Morocco
Third Round
T1 – Winner S1 v Winner S2
T2 – Winner S3 v Winner S4
T3 – Winner S5 v Winner S6
T4 – Winner S7 v Winner S8
T5 – Winner S9 v Winner S10
T6 – Winner S11 v Winner S12
Fourth Round
Winner T1 v Winner T2
Winner T3 v Winner T4
Winner T5 v Winner T6
The national team of Sudan defeated Tanzania 2-1 in an international friendly match played last evening in Saudi Arabia.
Aldhayib Abdirizak gave the Sudan team the lead after 11 minutes at the King Fahad Stadium. Issa Vitalis made it 2-0 for Sudan after 27 minutes.
But after the break, the youthful Tanzanian side led by Belgian based professional Kelvin John pushed forward in search of goals. Ahmad Ibrahim Ahmada Hilika pulled out back for Taifa Stars after 80 minutes.
Kwasi Appiah, the Sudan head coach said that he was happy with the opportunity to have the friendly match to help him test the players.
Taifa Stars acting coach Hemed Morocco said his players made some mistakes early in the game, but improved later after recess. The two teams will face-off again o Saturday in another friendly match.
The two teams are using the friendly matches to prepare ahead of the matches next month for the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers. Sudan are placed second in Group B with 4 points, while Tanzania are fourth in Group E with three points in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
The CECAFA Kagame Cup 2024 will take place in Tanzania.
The regional tournament organised under the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) will take place from July 20th to 4th August, 2024.
John Auka Gecheo, the CECAFA Executive Director has confirmed that some guest sides will take part in the tournament which will return this year after it was last held in 2021.
“We are glad that this tournament will be returning after two years to provide a brilliant preseason platform for the teams to prepare better before the start of the 2024/2025 CAF Champions League, CAF Confederations Cup and the different Leagues back home,” dded Gecheo.
He explained that besides the respective Premier League champions from the 12 Members Associations including Zanzibar, CECAFA will also invite some other teams to spice up the tournament.
Uganda’s Express FC beat guest side Nyasa Big Bullets from Malawi 1-0 in the final when the tournament was last held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in 2021. Tanzania’s Simba SC have lifted the CECAFA Kagame Cup a record six times, while Young Africans SC (Tanzania) and Tusker FC (Kenya) five times each. The teams that have lifted the title three times each include; APR FC (Rwanda), Al Merriekh (Sudan), SC Villa (Uganda) and Kenya’s Gor Mahia FC.
Young Africans SC have retained the Tanzania Premier League title.
Coach Miguel Gamondi’s team brushed a side Mtibwa FC 3-1 in a League match played on Monday at the Manungu Complex in Morogoro to claim the 2023/2024 title.
Charles Ilanfya gave the home side a 1-0 first half lead, but Young Africans SC fought back after recess to score three.
Goals by Kennedy Musonda, an own goal by Nasry Kombo and Clement Nzie were enough to see Young Africans SC collect vital three points.
The win sent Young Africans SC to 71 points with three more matches to play, while Azam FC are second on 60 points and Simba SC third with 57 points.
” I want to thank the players for the hard work. Playing against Mtibwa FC was not an easy match, but am glad the players worked hard and won. It has been a very busy season of hard work and am grateful to the players and management, ” said Gamondi.
The Argentine made it clear that Young Africans SC has what it takes to win several titles and now they will complete the League and other tournaments locally before starting to plan well for next season.
Gamondi also guided Young Africans SC to the quarter final stage of the 2023/2024 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League where they lost 3-2 in penalties to Mamelodi Sundowns FC of South Africa.
Taifa Stars defender Novatus Dismas Miroshi has helped FC Shakhtar Donetsk win the 2023/2024 Ukrainian Premier League title.
Shakhtar Donetsk won the title after seeing off arch-rivals, Dynamo Kyiv, winning 1-0 in a League match played last Saturday.
The win sent Shakhtar Donetsk top with 70 points with two matches to yet to be played, while Dynamo Kyiv have 63 points. Shakhtar Donetsk will now represent Ukraine in the UEFA Champions League 2024/2025 qualification.
The young Miroshi has been with Shakhtar Donetsk after moving on loan from the Belgian Zulte Waregem in the summer.
Miroshi who has lately been a main player for the Taifa Stars also featured for the national team at the TotalEnergies Caf Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Cote d’Ivoire early this year.
Apart from Miroshi, FC Shakhtar Donetsk also boost of another African player Lassina Traore from Burkina Faso.
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