Teen Cranes Step Up Preparations for World Cup Qualifiers with Win Against Kampala Queens FC

Leading up to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, Uganda’s U17 Women’s National Team, affectionately dubbed Teen Cranes, clinched a convincing 2-1 victory against Kampala Queens FC in a friendly match held on Monday afternoon at MTN Omondi Stadium Lugogo.

The match initially saw Kampala Queens take the lead with Shamirah Nalugya confidently converting a penalty in the first half, momentarily putting the Teen Cranes on the defensive. However, the national team’s youthful resilience emerged in the later stages of the game.

Gift Nabukenya, demonstrating a flair for seizing crucial opportunities, equalized for the Teen Cranes with a well-executed goal. The momentum swung further in favor of the Teen Cranes when Kampala Queens inadvertently contributed to the scoreline with an own goal from Asia Nakibuuka, ultimately securing victory for the national side.

Head coach Sheryl Botes expressed satisfaction with her squad’s performance, highlighting the positive progress made by the players as they gear up for the critical qualifiers against Zambia.

“I’m very proud of the girls; they’ve performed exceptionally well. Although today’s win is significant, what matters most to me is the players’ performance in relation to the key components we’ve been focusing on for the past three days.”

The friendly match provided valuable insights and opportunities for the Teen Cranes to refine their strategies and strengthen team cohesion ahead of the first leg of the qualifiers scheduled for May 12th at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka, followed by the return leg on May 17th, 2024, at St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende.