The Uganda U20 Women’s National Team, the Queen Cranes, took a giant step towards the next round of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers after dispatching Namibia 3-0 in the first leg of the second-round clash played on Friday evening.
Goals from Sylvia Kabene, Barbra Anomo, and substitute Mary Kantono ensured Uganda carries a healthy cushion going into Monday’s decisive return leg at the FUFA stadium, Kadiba.
The first half saw Uganda dominate proceedings but struggle to find the breakthrough despite several clear chances. Agnes Nabukenya, Patricia Nayiga, Sumaya Nalumu, and Kabene all came close, but Namibia held firm to go into the interval with the score still locked at 0-0.
Coach Sheryl Botes responded at halftime with a tactical switch, introducing Peace Muduwa for Doreen Aujat. The change immediately swung momentum further in Uganda’s favor, as Kabene finally broke the deadlock in the 47th minute with a powerful effort that slipped through the Namibian goalkeeper’s hands.
With continued dominance, Uganda extended their advantage late in the game. In the 82nd minute, Nalumu’s dazzling run and cross picked out Anomo, who nodded home to double the lead. Moments before the final whistle, Kantono put the result beyond doubt with a clinical finish to make it 3-0.
The aggregate winner between Uganda and Namibia will progress to face either Zambia or Burundi in the next qualifying round scheduled for February 2026. Zambia holds a narrow 2-1 lead from their first leg away in Burundi.
Speaking to the press during the post-match conference, Namibian assistant coach Damaseb Errol praised his players’ performance despite the loss.
The Queen Cranes Head Coach, Sheryl Ulanda Botes, in the post-match press conference said she has a few departments to work on come Monday.
‘The girls played well, but they had pressure in the first minutes, which is why we did not score in the first half. We spoke to them during halftime, and yes, they scored goals in the second half. However, this was not our agenda; we wanted to score more goals in the first leg so that we could bring another starting XI in the second game. Unfortunately, this was not fulfilled, so we have to go back and correct some mistakes, and we will come back on Monday well-prepared.”
When asked about the opponent, Sheryl Botes replied, ‘They played well, and I will nt take them for granted. They made some mistakes, and that is where we capitalized, but that does not mean they are a bad team. I will not undermine them; we all want to qualify for the World Cup, and may the best team win on Monday.”
Africa has four slots for the 2026 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, which will be staged in Poland.
