Tanzania, Ethiopia advance in 2020 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers

CECAFA Zonal representatives Tanzania and Ethiopia are through to the first round of the 2020 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers. Tanzania battled form a goal down to defeat hosts Uganda 2-1 in the second leg of the preliminary round played at the StarTimes Stadium in Kampala on Saturday

The Tanzanian team advanced to the next stage on a 4-2 goal aggregate having won the first leg 2-1 in Dar es Salaam two weeks ago. Midfielder Phiona Nabbumba put Uganda in the lead after 48 minutes with a tap-in.

But the visitors fought back to level matters through Diana Msewa after 59 minutes before Clement Opa made it 2-1 with a well taken free kick. Tanzania will now face Senegal in the first round of the qualifiers in March this year.

“We did not take our chances and that explains why we are out. It was not our day and this is football,” said Uganda’s head coach Oliver Mbekeka.

In Ethiopia the hosts beat visiting Burundi 2-1 to qualify on a 7-1 goal aggregate. Sira Yirdaw and Argash Kalsa scored for Ethiopia, while Divine Nihorimbere pulled one back for Burundi. Ethiopia will now face Zimbabwe in the next round.

The other teams that will battle in the first round include; Gabon, Congo, Liberia, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Botswana and South Africa. The best three teams from Africa will qualify for the tournament.

The 2020 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup to be hosted by Costa Rica and Panama will be the 10th edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.