Three teams from the CECAFA Zone Burundi, Kenya and Tanzania have qualified t the next round of TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024 qualifiers.

The Harambee Starlets who lost the first leg 1-0 to Cameroon on Tuesday won by the same margin and edged the visitors 4-3 on penalty shootouts in the match played at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi.

Cythia Shilwatso Musungu netted Kenya’s goal after 75 minutes to send the match into penalties. ” Although we had many chances to score and finish the match in normal time, I am happy that we have qualified for the next round, ” said a happy Kenya head coach Beldine Odemba.

Burundi who play in the last WAFCON in Morocco also sailed through on penalties after settling for a 1-1 draw in normal time. Rediet Asresahegn gave Ethiopia the lead after 19 minutes, but Sandrine Niyonkuru made it 1-1 after 49 minutes. Burundi edged the hosts 5-3 on penalties.

At the Azam Complex in Chamazi Tanzania managed to score two second half goals through Donisia Daniel Minja and Turkish based Opah Clement Tukumbuke to send the match to penalties that they won 4-2.

In the other matches played Uganda forced a 1-1 draw away to Algeria, but bowed out 3-2 on goal aggregate, while Togo ejected Djibouti 13-0 on aggregate and Ghana saw off Rwanda 5-0 in Accra to qualify on a 12-0 goal aggregate.

The second and final round of the qualifiers will be played in November and December this year will now see Burundi face Algeria, Tanzania battle Togo, while Kenya take on Botswana. Eleven teams will qualify to join hosts Morocco.

Seven teams from the CECAFA Zone will be in action today in the second leg of the first round in the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024 qualifiers.

Kenya and Tanzania are hoping to utilise their home advantages as they take on Cameroon and Cote d’Ivore respectively.

After losing the first leg 1-0 away to Cameroon, the Harambee Starlets are hoping to overturn the result at the Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi, while Tanzania who fell 2-0 are determined to make home advantage count at the Azam Complex, Chamazi.

Beldine Odemba, the Kenya coach has made it clear that although playing at home is always an advantage, she has called on the fans to cheer the team for the entire match.

Odemba believes that having a strong fan presence at the stadium will provide vital support and motivation for the team.

“I would like to urge them to come in numbers. Starlets have been getting positive vibes from fans, we know they believe in us, and if they turn up in numbers, it will be a big boost, ” addd the coach.

For the Tanzania coach Bakari Nyundo Shime he says although they are facing a strong Cote d’Ivoire team, his players will need a lot of concentration as they go all out to try and get a good result that can see them qualify for the next round. ” We need to play as a team and be able to take our chances and also defend well, ” added the experienced Shime.

Uganda who suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Algeria in the first leg will also be all out to try and get a good result in the town of Oran. The game between Ethiopia and Burundi is expected to be a tight contest after the two teams settled for a 1-1 draw in the first leg which was also played at the Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa.

Djibouti and Rwanda will very tough tests in the second legs after they both suffered 7-0 defeats last week to Togo and Ghana respectively.

On Monday South Sudan was ejected by Egypt lost the second leg 4-0 to bow out 8-0 on aggregate to Egypt.

Three teams from the CECAFA Zone Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan will be in action today in the first round of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024 qualifiers.

Rwanda will host Ghana in the first leg at the Kigali Pele Stadium, while Uganda take on Algeria at the FUFA Technical center in Njeru. The South Sudan team will play away against Egypt at the Al-Salaam Stadium in Cairo.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Rwanda’s coach Grace Nyinawamuntu said he team is well prepared for the match and eager to give a good account infront of the home fans. ” It is important to get a good result before traveling for the return leg, ” added the coach.

Rwanda who played two friendly matches against Burundi losing 1-0 and drawing 1-1 will hope that the likes of Libelle Nibagwire and Florence Manizabayo find their touch infront of goal.

In Njeru, Uganda Crested Cranes coach Ayub Khalifa Kiyingi has also made it clear his team is ready to make a perfect start in the campaign. “ I believe we have had the best of preparations to make sure we win at home,” says Kiyingi.

Viola Nambi who features for Pomigliano FC in Italy together with Fauzia Najjemba (ZFK Dynamo Moscow, Trussia) and Kampala Queens FC’s Fazila Ikwaput are expected to play pivital roles to find the goals that will propel the Crested Cranes to a good start.

Uganda is seeking to return to Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for the second successive time, having appeared at the last edition in Morocco last year.

For the South Sudan team professionals Amy Lasu and Deborah Luka will lead the team against Egypt as they try to get their campaign to a good start.

The match between Angola and Sudan has been cancelled, while Burundi face Ethiopia on Thursday. Three more matches involving CECAFA teams will take place on Friday with Djibouti facing Togo, Tanzania playing away to Ivory Coast, while Kenya also battle hosts Cameroon.

The teams that go past the first round will qualify for the second round. South Africa and Zambia were exempted from the first round because of being highly ranked, while Morocco have already qualified as hosts.

CECAFA teams Ethiopia and Burundi have been drawn to face-off in the first round of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024.

The draws were conducted at the Mohamed VI Complex in Rabat, Morocco on Thursday.

The winner between the two sides will face the winner between Uganda and Algeria in the second round which determines which team qualifies for the WAFCON 2024 to be held in Morocco.

According to CAF the first round matches to be played on a home and away basis will be played between September 18-26th, while the second round matches take place November 27th to December 5th, 2023.

The other teams from the CECAFA Zone South Sudan will face Egypt, while Tanzania take on Cote d’Ivoire, and Djibouti battle Togo. Rwanda will take on Ghana, Sudan battle Angola, while Kenya face tricky Cameroon.

Hosts Morocco are exempted from the qualifiers, while defending champions South Africa and Zambia will start their campaign in the second round.

Uganda and Burundi played at the WAFCON 2022 held in Morocco.