Uganda’s dream of qualifying for the FIFA U-20 Ladies’s World Cup led to heartbreak on Saturday night after the Queen Cranes have been held to a 1-1 draw by Ghana within the decisive second leg of the ultimate qualification spherical at FUFA Stadium, Kadiba.
The end result noticed Uganda eradicated 3-2 on mixture following their slim 2-1 defeat within the first leg in Accra.
Needing not less than a 1-0 victory to safe a historic maiden look on the World Cup, the Queen Cranes made the right begin in entrance of a passionate dwelling crowd.
Sylvia Kabene gave Uganda the lead within the seventh minute after producing an excellent run down the left flank earlier than squeezing the ball dwelling from a decent angle to stage the combination rating at 2-2 and ignite perception contained in the stadium.
Buoyed by the early breakthrough, Uganda dominated massive spells of the competition, urgent ahead with dedication towards a resilient Ghanaian facet as they looked for the purpose that may ship them via.
The hosts gained additional benefit within the 69th minute when Ghana’s Margaret Agyapomaa was despatched off after stamping on Kabene whereas the Ugandan ahead was already on the bottom.
With Ghana decreased to 10 gamers and the combination rating nonetheless stage, the Queen Cranes seemed firmly in management and appeared heading in the right direction to both pressure additional time or full a well-known comeback.
Nevertheless, the turning level arrived with about 10 minutes remaining.
Goalkeeper Lilian Nakirya rushed out to clear a unfastened ball however miscued her effort, forcing a Uganda defender right into a determined problem on a Ghanaian attacker close to the sting of the field.
Linda Owusu Ansah stepped up and curled the ensuing free-kick past Nakirya’s attain to silence the expectant dwelling crowd and restore Ghana’s mixture benefit.
Sherly Ulanda Botes’ facet responded with urgency within the closing levels as they desperately searched for one more purpose.
Captain Agnes Nabukenya got here closest for Uganda with a harmful free-kick that drifted narrowly extensive, whereas Nakirya later redeemed herself with a superb save to disclaim Sarah Nyarko from lengthy vary.
Regardless of being second finest for a lot of the encounter, Ghana capitalised on their key alternative to safe qualification and celebrated wildly on the last whistle after reserving their place on the FIFA U-20 Ladies’s World Cup, which will likely be held in Poland later this yr.
For Uganda, whose qualification marketing campaign was additionally ended by Ghana final yr, the watch for a first-ever FIFA Ladies’s World Cup look continues.
Nonetheless, the Queen Cranes bowed out with heads held excessive after one other spirited marketing campaign that highlighted the continued progress and promise of ladies’s soccer in Uganda.