The Uganda U20 Women’s National Team, the Queen Cranes, have entered their third day of training under the guidance of head coach Sherly Ulanda Botes as they prepare for a crucial two-legged tie against Namibia. The matches mark the beginning of their journey toward a historic qualification for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup — a feat Uganda has never achieved before.
As the team intensifies preparations at the Muteesa II Stadium Wankulukuku, the confidence is building among players . Among the fresh faces in the squad is Nalwoga Yasmeen, a promising talent from Rines SS, who plays in the FUFA Women Super League. Yasmeen, making her debut for the national team, expressed both gratitude and confidence ahead of the encounter.
‘We had our third training session today at Wankulukuku, and everything is going well,’ Yasmeen shared in an exclusive interview. ‘We’re in good shape, and the entire team is working together to go past Namibia.’
Despite being new to the setup, Yasmeen believes in the team’s vision and the leadership of coach Botes.
‘This is my first call-up to the national team, but I believe in the coach’s tactics and instructions. I listen to her — she guides me, and I trust her plan. If given the opportunity to start, I will give my all and work hard with the team to ensure we eliminate Namibia.’
Reflecting on the honor of wearing national colors, Yasmeen added: ‘It feels amazing to be selected among so many talented players. It’s a great honor to represent my country. I feel proud and ready to work hard to help the team achieve its dreams. We all share the same goal, but I’ve also set personal targets — I want to be among the best.’
Uganda will face Namibia in the two-legged tie on September 19th and September 22nd at the FUFA Stadium, Kadiba, with both matches scheduled to kick off at 4:00 PM.
