Kampala: Uganda U-20 Women football team advanced to the next stage of the FIFA U-20 Women World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Kenya at the St Mary’s Stadium Kitende on Friday, 8th October 2021.
Margret Kunihira, Hadijah Nandago and Juliet Nalukenge were on target for the Ugandan youngsters who advanced 10-3 on aggregate over the two legs.
Kenya scored their consolation via a well-struck penalty from captain Perish Oside.
Kunihira opened the scoring past goalkeeper Sophy Akinyi after a well-struck corner kick from Sumaya Komuntale on the stroke of halftime.
Kenya brought the game level through Oside’s penalty four minutes later.
Oside’s moment arrived after the referee pointed to the spot following a foul on winger Joy Oriyo by defender Bira Nadunga in the forbidden area.
It was Uganda who had the last laugh of the opening stanza with a perfectly slotted goal towards the mandatory half time break from pint-sized midfielder Nandago.
Lethal forward Nalukenge struck home a brilliant free-kick from the edge of the goal area on the stroke of full time to galvanize the score sheet.
Throughout the game, Uganda had shown eminent signs of a dominant side with several passes conquered and knitted to perfection as well as goal scoring opportunities created.
Midfielders Shamirah Nalugya, Shakira Nyinagahirwa, Hadijah Nandago and skipper Fauzia Najjemba were a complete menace to the opposition with well-coordinated passing and successful dribbles.
Perhaps, the final deliveries to Nalukenge and Kunihira as well as their finishing often let down the team, a feat that restricted the cricket-like score line.
Uganda will now face South Africa at the next phase of the qualifiers in November 2021.
Uganda’s head coach Ayub Khalifa Kiyingi hailed the fighting spirit and character of the entire team over the two legs.
‘‘First of all, I would like to thank the Almighty for this performance that helped us progress to the next stage. The players showed character and intent to play over the two legs,’’ Kiyingi told the media during the post-match press conference at Kitende.
In the return leg particularly, Kiyingi saluted the game plan strategy of the opposition to limit the damage from the 7-2 first leg humiliation at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi a fortnight ago.
‘‘They (Kenya) were far much improved in the return leg than the match in Nairobi. The game plan was top notch but we still managed to break them. We shall go back to the drawing board to avert grey areas especially conceding the goals,” he concluded.
The exact dates against South Africa will be confirmed in the due course.
