Senegal shock Cameroon as Ghana, Ethiopia, Benin and Kenya advance in U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers

By Betty Enoch
 

Senegal booked their place in the final round of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup African qualifiers after edging hosts Cameroon 5-4 on penalties following a tense goalless draw at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Omnisports Stadium in Yaoundé.

The second-round clash ended 0-0 after regulation time, mirroring the scoreline from the first leg in Dakar, forcing the contest into a dramatic shootout where the visitors held their nerve to seal qualification.

The result was a bitter blow for Cameroon’s U-17 Lionesses, who dominated large spells of the encounter and created several scoring opportunities but failed to find the breakthrough.

Mike Ndoumou’s side started brightly, with captain Francy Judith Ekodeck leading a disciplined defensive display while the hosts pushed forward in search of the opening goal. Cameroon’s best chance came shortly after the hour mark when Elisabeth Sekem found herself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but the forward was unable to convert.

As the match progressed, Senegal gradually grew into the contest. Coach Souleymane Diallo tweaked his tactics to contain the Cameroonian attack, ensuring his side remained in the tie before eventually prevailing from the penalty spot.

While Cameroon’s World Cup hopes came to a heartbreaking end, Ghana’s Black Maidens enjoyed a far more comfortable outing as they completed an emphatic 8-0 aggregate victory over Liberia.

Holding a commanding 6-0 advantage from the first leg in Accra, the Black Maidens travelled to Monrovia brimming with confidence and secured a 2-0 win in the return fixture.

Seidatu Wahab opened the scoring in the 15th minute to settle any nerves for the visitors, who controlled proceedings throughout the encounter. Ghana doubled their advantage six minutes after the restart through Juliana Gyekyewaa, whose well-taken effort extinguished any hopes of a Liberian comeback.

The victory underlined Ghana’s dominance across both legs, with the Black Maidens scoring eight goals without conceding. Their blend of attacking flair, defensive solidity and tactical discipline once again highlighted their credentials as one of Africa’s leading youth women’s teams.

With Liberia dispatched, Ghana now advances to the final qualifying round, one step away from securing a place at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Elsewhere, Ethiopia progressed after overcoming Burundi 4-2 on aggregate, while Benin Republic cruised past Sierra Leone with a 3-0 victory in the second leg to complete a 5-1 aggregate triumph.

Kenya also secured passage to the next round, eliminating Uganda on the away-goal rule after a closely contested tie.

The latest results set the stage for an exciting final qualifying round as Africa’s emerging stars continue their quest for a coveted place at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Today's pairings:
Nigeria v Guinea 
Zambia v DR Congo 
Tanzania v South Africa

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Olukismet FC pens monumental deal with Hungarian top-tier side Kisvarda

Image
By Mishael Emmanuel    Ekiti State based Nigerian club Olukismet Football Club has signed a historic partnership deal with Hungarian top-flight outfit Kisvarda FC, as the Kisvarda based side looks to collaborate on players discovery, development and exposure to top levels of European and world football. The momentous partnership comes from the boots of talented midfielder prodigy, Ridwan Abdulrazak, who paved the way with a host of outstanding performances in Hungarian football circuit. Abdulrazak was previously scouted from Olukismet Football Club.   Following a strategic partnership meeting held in Lagos, last week, the President of Kisvarda FC, Revesz Atilla Utja, Portuguese FIFA football agent, Andre Cabete Portulez and Prince Olumide Fetus Adegboye graced Top Level Football Agency's football scouting tournament held over the weekend in the 'City of Excellence and Aquatic Splendor', in search for exceptional footballing talents in the mould of renowned Nig...
Read more

Hammer thrower Falana vows to rule Africa

Image
 By Mishael Emmanuel         Gabon’s national hammer record holder, Kenza Falana, is certain that her time to rule the spotlight and make headlines is now. It’s a medal within reach for the young Gabonese hammer thrower who was selected to represent her country at the CAA U-18/20 Championship, holding in Abeokuta, Ogun State, South-West, Nigeria. The 18-year-old who broke into the international stage a year ago at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, added that she is looking to revive the spirit of unity, commitment and collaboration — to back rising athletes in Africa. Speaking before silver-finish at the biennial championship, Falana said she was ready to rule the continent as soon as possible. She said: “I think it finally my chance with what I’m doing this Championships. I’ve been thinking of it this past year, thinking it would be such an opportunity to travel to Nigeria and even win a gold medal,” Falana stated in an interview with First ZealMe...
Read more

Experience, effort — Edo State's rise to Table Tennis success, Coach Goriola Olayiwola Wahab

Image
...Secures 13 medals as table tennis event comes to an end By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye in Abuja           From grass to grace, this is the inside story of Team Edo State's rise in table tennis, the once uneducated side powered by eagerness is now a consistent medal winner for the Heartbeat State. These are the words of the head coach of Team Edo table tennis, Goriola Olayiwola Wahab in an exclusive interview with FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG's Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye at the ongoing National Para Games in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. Coach Wahab, fond called Mr. Consistent, led Team Edo to secure 13 medals Games, 4 gold, 3 silver and 6 bronze medals. For coach Wahab in the Table Tennis coaching business it all began 1991, in Bauchi, when he teaching special athletes the games of pingpong. He then started working with the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Nigeria to help educate and train more athletes. “I started coac...
Read more