Crested Cranes Silence Cameroon At Njeru Ground
Crested crane players celebrating the first goal
By Emma Amooti
Results (1st Leg)
Uganda 2-0 Cameroon
Ethiopia 1-1 Nigeria
Namibia 0-2 Morocco
Tanzania 2-0 Botswana
DR Congo 1-1 South Africa
Celebrations rocked at the Njeru technical centre ground on Thursday evening after host nation Uganda beat Cameroon in the Olympic Football Tournament Qualifiers.
The game was the first for interim head coach Charles Ayiekho Lukula who handed defender Justine Najjuko and midfielder Zaitun Namaganda their debut. A collective spirited effort from the Crested Cranes saw them earn a 2-0 lead.
Goals from Catherine Nagadya and Fazila Ikwaput in either half in a game were enough to record victory against Cameroon, with Nagadya who fired Uganda into the lead in the 11th minute capitalizing on a goalkeeping howler by Cameroon’s Michaely Bihina.
She fumbled with Shamirah Nalugya’s ferocious strike from free kick and spilled the ball into the path of Nagadya who fired home from the rebound. At the half hour mark, Cameroon were awarded a penalty after defender Justine Najjuko handled the ball in the box but Cameroon captain Ajara Njoya who took it, hit the base of the post and also failed to find the target from the rebound.
The Crested Cranes proved resilient in the next minutes with a water tight backline and goalkeeper Vanessa Edith Karungi stood tall to deny the visitors heading to first half with 1-0 lead.
At the start of the second half, the Crested crane head coach made changes with Bridget Nabisaalu and Asia Nakibuuka replacing Najjuko and Namaganda respectively but when Phiona Nabbumba got injured, she was replaced by Jackline Adong who was also making her debut for the crested cranes.
In the 77th minute, Uganda doubled the lead through Ikwaput who capitalized on a melee to slot home. Fauzia Najjemba did the donkey work on the left wing and set up Ikwaput but she missed on the first attempt. The Cameroonians failed to clear the ball away and the forward did not make any mistake at the second attempt.
However, Uganda takes a 2-0 lead into the return leg slated for Tuesday next week in Yaounde, Cameroon with the winner between Uganda and Cameroon will face either Nigeria or Ethiopia who drew a 1-1 draw in the first leg while South Africa and DR Congo played out a stalemate in the first leg of the second round of the CAF Women’s Olympic qualifying ties on Wednesday.
In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia grabbed a shock 6th minute lead through Birkie Amara before Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade levelled just after the break to earn the Super Falcons a draw.
Nigeria face the return leg at home on Tuesday knowing an away goal provides an advantage in their bid to reach the third qualifying round.
DR Congo and South Africa could not be separated in an entertaining 1-1 draw in Kinshasa. Grace Mfwamba’s delightful curling strike put DR Congo ahead on 40 minutes before South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana equalised shortly after half-time.
The Reigning Women’s AFCON champions South Africa will host DR Congo in the second leg on Monday 31 October in Soweto.
Meanwhile, Zambia and Tunisia are through to the third round after the withdrawal of Mali and Ivory Coast.
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