Tanzania’s Twiga Stars have qualified for the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024.

After losing 2-0 in the return leg away to Togo on Tuesday evening, Twiga Stars captained by Opa Clement Tukumbuke qualified on a 3-2 goal aggregate.

” We are very happy to qualify for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. It has not been a very journey but I thank the players for the work well done, ” said a happy Tanzanian coach Bakari Shime.

Twiga Stars who will return to the WAFCON since 2010 will be the only team carrying the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) flag at the WAFCON 2024 after Burundi and Kenya all failed to make it past the last hurdle of the qualifiers.

After losing the first leg 5-1 to Algeria, the Burundi team suffered a 1-0 defeat in the second leg played yesterday. Kenya’s Harambee Starlets who settled for a 1-1 draw in the first leg played in Nairobi a week ago lost 1-0 to hosts Botswana in the return leg today.

The other teams that will play at the WAFCON 2024 include ; Tanzania, Ghana, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Tunisia, Algeria, DR Congo, Mali, Senegal, Nigeria and 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.