The U17 women’s football team of Uganda has progressed to the second round of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers after a commanding 6-1 aggregate victory over Zimbabwe.
The Teen Cranes secured their place with a composed and dominant display across both legs, building on a strong first-leg performance before finishing the job convincingly at home. They will now face regional rivals Kenya in the next stage, with matches scheduled for late May 2026.
Uganda established control of the tie during the first leg in Zimbabwe, where they delivered a disciplined and assured performance away from home. From the outset, the visitors imposed themselves on the game, maintaining possession and applying sustained attacking pressure.
Their early dominance paid off in the 17th minute when Immaculate Achen calmly converted to give Uganda the lead following a prolonged spell inside Zimbabwe’s half. The Teen Cranes continued to press forward and were rewarded again before the break, as Lydia Nameseruka found the net to double the advantage. The result gave Uganda a firm platform heading into the return leg.
In the second leg at FUFA Stadium, Kadiba, Uganda carried that momentum into a confident display in front of their home supporters. Remaining organised and composed throughout, they controlled proceedings and ensured there was no route back for their opponents.
The hosts made an early breakthrough when Brendah Nassaka opened the scoring in the 10th minute, further extending their aggregate lead. Immaculate Achen added her second goal of the tie in the 34th minute, reinforcing Uganda’s dominance.
Just before half-time, Giovanna Aketogwanga increased the advantage, leaving the outcome effectively beyond doubt by the interval. Uganda maintained their control in the second half, and substitute Oseko Terry Moraa completed the scoring in the 85th minute, sealing a 4-1 victory on the day.
The result confirmed a comprehensive 6-1 aggregate triumph, underlining Uganda’s strength across both fixtures and their ability to perform consistently in home and away conditions.
Attention now turns to the second round, where Uganda will meet Kenya in what promises to be a closely contested East African encounter. Kenya progressed after defeating Namibia 7-1 on aggregate, setting up a high-stakes regional clash.
The upcoming ties will be played during the FIFA international window, with the first leg scheduled between 22 and 24 May 2026, and the return leg taking place from 29 to 31 May 2026.
The winner of the two-legged contest will move one step closer to reaching the final round of qualification for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.
