The atmosphere was electric on African pitches during the first-leg matches of the first round of the U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
While some nations, such as Ethiopia, Uganda, and Burkina Faso, have put themselves in a strong position to qualify thanks to solid victories, the outcome is still far from decided for the others.
The battle was particularly close between Namibia and Kenya, reflecting the growing strength of grassroots women’s soccer on the continent.
The suspense remains high for the second-leg matches, especially after the draws conceded by Senegal and Ivory Coast.
The young players will need to show resilience to secure their ticket to the next round.
First-round results (First legs):
- Botswana 2-3 Tanzania
- Malawi 1-2 Burundi
- Tunisia 1-1 Senegal
- Togo 0-2 Ghana
- Burkina Faso 3-1 Benin
- Sierra Leone 0-0 Ivory Coast
- South Sudan 0-2 Ethiopia
- Zimbabwe 0-2 Uganda
- Namibia 1-2 Kenya
