WAFCON 2024 qualifiers: Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania storm final round

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.