The Zambia U20 Women’s National Team have been eliminated from the race to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Uganda in Saturday’s decisive second leg at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
An early goal from Mary Kantono proved the difference on the day, sealing a 2-1 aggregate victory for Uganda and sending the visitors into the final round of African qualifiers.
Early Blow Proves Decisive
Backed by home support in Ndola, Zambia needed a composed start but were stunned just six minutes into the contest.
Kantono capitalised on a defensive lapse to slot home what would ultimately be the match-winner, silencing the home crowd and shifting the pressure firmly onto the Young Copper Queens.
Zambia pushed for a response, enjoying spells of possession and territory, but struggled to carve out clear-cut chances against a disciplined Ugandan backline.
The visitors managed the tempo effectively, breaking up play and frustrating the hosts as the clock ticked down.
Despite late efforts to force extra time, Zambia could not find the equaliser, and the final whistle confirmed their exit from the qualifiers.
Queen Cranes March On
The victory sees Uganda’s “Queen Cranes” advance to the fourth and final round of the qualifiers, where they will face Ghana in May. Ghana progressed after edging South Africa 3-2 on aggregate in their tie.
The final round will be played over two legs, with the aggregate winner booking a place at the global showpiece in Poland.
Road to Poland 2026
The 12th edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will be staged in Poland from 5 to 27 September 2026. Africa will be represented by four nations at the tournament, raising the stakes for the remaining contenders.
