The Uganda U17 Women’s National Team’s journey in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers ended in heartbreak despite a determined 1-0 victory over Zambia at St. Mary’s Stadium Kitende. The Teen Cranes were eliminated on aggregate, having lost 2-0 in the first leg in Zambia.
Sylvia Kabene scored the lone goal for Uganda in the 73rd minute, giving the home side hope. However, the single goal was not enough to overturn the deficit from the first leg, allowing Zambia to progress to the final qualification phase with a 2-1 aggregate win.
The match commenced with a moment of silence to honor the late Coach Fred Kajoba, who passed away earlier this week. From the kickoff, Uganda demonstrated their superiority, pressing forward and creating multiple scoring opportunities.
Agnes Nabukenya had a clear chance to open the scoring in the 20th minute but missed the target. She later had a one-on-one opportunity but shot directly at Zambian goalkeeper Mwila Chisala Mufunte, who proved difficult to beat throughout the match.
Despite dominating the game, Uganda went into halftime without a goal. Their persistence paid off in the second half when Kabene broke through the Zambian defense and scored from a rebound. Unfortunately, the Teen Cranes could not find the crucial second goal needed to advance.
