Teen Cranes Aim to Defend Cecafa U-17 Women's Championship Title

The Uganda U-17 women’s team, affectionately known as the ‘Teen Cranes,’ has successfully navigated the group stage of the Cecafa U-17 Women’s Championship, securing a spot in the semifinals with an unblemished record.

Having won all their group matches without conceding a single goal, the team is feeling confident about their title defense aspirations. Defender Jovia Nakirya expressed her team’s satisfaction with their defensive solidity throughout the initial phase of the tournament.

Uganda’s dominant performance saw them defeat Djibouti 13-0 and Zanzibar 3-0, with goals from Shadia Nabirye, Immaculate Acen, and Justine Ayerango. They further cemented their top position in the group by overcoming South Sudan 4-0, courtesy of braces from Nabirye and Ayerango.

Coach Sheryl Botes noted her team’s ability to adapt to the physical challenges posed by their opponents and hinted at tactical preparations for the upcoming knockout stages. The team is also working on improving their conversion rate from set pieces.

In the semifinals, Uganda is set to face a familiar opponent in Kenya. This encounter carries extra significance as Kenya eliminated Uganda in the Fifa U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers last month on away goals after a 1-1 aggregate draw. The semifinal matches are scheduled for Sunday at KMC Stadium.

Uganda will play Kenya at 1pm, followed by the match between Tanzania and South Sudan at 4pm.

Source: Daily Monitor