By Bariyo Brian Tumuramye
Ethiopia have held hosts Uganda to a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the second round in the U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier.
After going two goals down in the second half, the visiting Ethiopian team fought back strongly to pick an important draw at the St. Marys Stadium, Kitende.
It was the Ethiopian team that dominated play in the first half with skipper Meseret Mamo Wolde and Emush Daniel Dandamo coming close to scoring, but found Uganda’s goalkeeper Sharon Kaidu up to the task.
After the interval Uganda stepped up their game and attacked in numbers. Striker Hadijah Nandago made it 1-0 after 68 minutes with a well taken shot that Ethiopia’s goalkeeper Abeba Ajibo Afa failed to stop.
The Ethiopian team tried to settle down before Emush Daniel Dandamo’s shot missed the target for Ethiopia. But after 72 minutes Nandago capitalized on a mistake by Ethiopia’s goalkeeper and made it 2-0.
Ethiopia’s head coach Endalkachew Chaka continued to motivate his players as they pushed forward to find goals. After 77 minutes Emush Daniel Dandamo pulled one goal back for Ethiopia with a long shot that beat Uganda’s goalkeeper Sharon Kaidu.
At the stroke of full time substitute Semira Kedir Ahimed netted the second goal for Ethiopia. Uganda’s goalkeeper failed to punch away a long ball by Ahimed that passed through her hands.
“I am very happy that my team fought back after going two goals down. Now we must work hard ahead of the return leg in Addis Ababa,” said a happy Ethiopian coach Endalkachew Chaka after the match.
