
Uganda put one foot in the second round of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers thanks to a 7-2 victory over Kenya at the Nyayo International Stadium in Nairobi on Saturday, September 25.
It was a close to a perfect outing for Ayub Khalifan’s side who were dominant throughout the entire afternoon.
Right from kick-off, Uganda took the game to Kenya and it was a matter of when and not if, they would take the lead.
Juliet Nalukenge opened the scoring for Uganda, netting inside two minutes as she headed home Fauzia Najjemba’s cross.
Margaret Kunihira who doubled the lead, making a powerful run off the right wing before finishing neatly.
Najjemba stretched the lead in the 21st minute with a brilliant finish inside the area.
The fourth came courtesy of a spot-kick with Shamira Nalugya taking responsibility and dispatching it.
Nalukenge once again came haunting to register her second goal of the day before left back Sumaya komuntale curled home a free kick at the stroke of half time to hand Uganda a commanding 6-0 leading heading into the break.
Kenya looked better in the second half and made several inroads in an effort to chance the game.
Striker Shaylene Opiso eventually netted a second half brace to the delight of the Kenyan legion inside Nyayo National Stadium.
However, with two minute to the end, Komuntale put the icing on the cake with the 7th goal for Uganda when she pounced onto a loose ball, in the area, before firing into the back of the net.
Uganda takes a monstrous advantage in the tie with the return leg slated for 8th October in Kampala.
The winner on aggregate will face either South Africa or Mozambique in the second round.