WOMEN
Women’s Football finally played in Somalia
The world Football governing body, FIFA has welcomed the move by Somalia to finally start engaging with women’s Football.
On March 8th, 2024 women’s football was finally played in the capital Mogadishu to commemorate International Women’s Day with Futsal match.
SWF women’s football team, defeated their rivals of SSC by 3-1 in the maiden women’s futsal match, which fully broke the barriers that once prevented Somali women from playing football.
Gelson Vernandes, the FIFA director for member associations Africa welcomed that Somali women are now officially playing football.
“We would like to extend our sincere congratulations to the Somali Football Federation for the activities organized, particularly to mark International Women’s Day. It is admirable to see such openness and to allow women to play and enjoy this sport. This initiative demonstrates a strong desire to promote gender equality and inclusion in football,” said Vernandes.
President of the Somali Football Federation (SFF), Ali Abdi Mohamed also praised the Women’s committee in the Federation of organizing the match to ensure women’s football officially starts in Somalia.
“I am really overjoyed that my long-standing dreams have become true. The futsal match was the start of a series of activities for the girls and young women who have been well involved in training programs for the past several months. Our aim is to see Somali women being fully active in the international football calendar very soon, added the President.
Ibtisam Yassin, the SFF head of Women’s football also said they are pleased that the department was able to organize a futsal match after several months of trainings and awareness workshops for both parents and girls.
“Our efforts paid off and we will continue organizing the awareness workshops for parents and girls plus the training programs, as this strategy has yielded positive results,” she added.
The head of Communication in SFF, Shafi’i Mohyaddin Abokar pointed out that having women’s football start in Somalia is a real sig of removal of cultural barriers.
“In Somalia, women have never played official football due to cultural barriers, as Somali parents never allowed their daughters to play football, because Somali parents recognized women’s football “the worst shame” and crime against Somali culture and religion, but after months of awareness workshops some parents have allowed their daughters to play the game,” added Abokar.
He also made it clear that now the awareness workshops are part of the SFF strategy to develop women’s football and overcome the cultural barriers that once prevented Somali women getting the opportunity to play the game.
Rayon Sport WFC are the champions of the 2023/2024 Rwanda Women’s National League.
The Rayon Sports WFC who are playing I the top League for the first time clinched the title after stopping Muhazi United WFC 1-0 on Saturday. They have collected 58 points
Jeanine Mukandayisenga netted the lone goal after 66 minutes in a match played at the Aee Avesa pitch. Rayon Sport WFC who won the lower division title last season are champions with one game they still have to play.
Former champions AS Kigali who also recorded a 2-0 win against ES Mutunda are placed second with 58 points after playing 20 matches. Twelve teams are playing in the 2023/2024 Rwanda Women’s National League.
Claude Rwaka, the Rayon Sports WFC coach said they are happy to emerge champions in the League. “This has been really hard work and I thank the management and the players for work well done,” added Rwaka
Rayon Sport WFC will now represent Rwanda at the CAF Women’s Champions League CECAFA Zone qualifiers which will take place later this year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Last year AS Kigali WFC represented Rwanda in the Zonal qualifier which was won by JKT Queens WFC from Tanzania.
The Uganda Queen Cranes have won a bronze medal at the on-going 13th African Games in Ghana.
After a goalless 90 minutes, the Queen Cranes defeated Senegal 6-5 in penalty shoot outs of the play-off match played at the Cape Coast Stadium on Thursday night.
Sheryl Botes, the Uganda Queen Cranes coach said it was hard work that has seen them get this medal. “We played a good game and had many opportunities to score, but am happy we have won bronze. The exposure that the players have got here has been very good and we are building a strong team,” added Botes.
Moses Hassim Magogo, President of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) also thanked the national U-20 girls team for winning a medal at the Games. “I want to congratulate the Queen Cranes for winning bronze at the African Games. We brought a coach, one of the best on the continent and we allowed her to build a team. It is going to take time but we can already see certain things are working out,” he added.
The Uganda Queen Cranes started their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Tanzania, and stopped Ethiopia 2-0. They went on to draw 1-1 with Ghana and lost 2-0 to Nigeria at the semi-final stage.
The hosts Ghana also battled from a goal down to defeat Nigeria 2-1 in the final played later last night.
The Uganda Queen Cranes will face Senegal in the play-off match on Thursday to determine who wins bronze at the 13th African Games in Ghana.
On Monday the defending champions Nigeria eliminated Uganda 2-0 in the first semi-final match played at the Cape Coast Stadium.
After a goalless first half with the two sides creating scoring opportunities, substitute Okah Adaobi broke the deadlock after 74 minutes, and Chiamaka Okwuchukwu made it 2-0 after 89 minutes.
Sheryl Botes, the Uganda Queen Cranes said she was proud of her team that gave their best and have picked a lot of exposure in the African Games. “We played against a very good and experienced Nigerian team that has given us a lot of lessons,” added Botes.
In the second semi-final match hosts Ghana defeated Senegal 3-1.
The Uganda Queen Cranes have so far played four matches at the African Games winning one 2-0 against Ethiopia. They drew 1-1 against Tanzania and Ghana, and lost against Nigeria.
The head coach of Uganda’s U-20 women’s team, Que Cranes has said that facing Nigeria in one of the semi-final ties at the African Games on Monday will not be an easy task on Monday.
Sheryl Botes made it clear that facing Nigeria who are the defending champions and have an experienced team will call for hard work from his team.
While Uganda will battle Nigeria, the hosts Ghana who topped Group A will take on Senegal in the second semi-final match, with the two matches taking place at the Cape Coast Stadium.
“We come into the game with believe that we can beat Nigeria. Facing Nigeria will be tough, but our tactical approach will definitely change from our previous matches because we are facing a team that usually is in control,” added Botes.
The Queen Cranes coach who took charge of Uganda’s women’s teams last November made it clear that they are coming into the match all determined to win. “We need to keep building a winning mentality and it is good to start it with the young players,” added the coach.
To reach the knock out stage Uganda Queen Cranes started with a 1-1 draw against Tanzania, and stopped Ethiopia 2-0. In the last Group match few days ago the Queen Cranes settled for a 1-1 draw against the hosts Ghana.
The best two teams after the semi-finals will battle for gold and silver, while the losing semi-finalists tussle it out for the bronze medal.
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