Uganda’s dream of qualifying for the FIFA U-20 Ladies’s World Cup resulted in heartbreak on Saturday night after the Queen Cranes had been held to a 1-1 draw by Ghana within the decisive second leg of the ultimate qualification spherical at FUFA Stadium, Kadiba.
The outcome noticed Uganda eradicated 3-2 on combination following their slender 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 residence crowd.
Sylvia Kabene gave Uganda the lead within the seventh minute after producing a superb run down the left flank earlier than squeezing the ball residence from a decent angle to degree the mixture 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 in opposition to a resilient Ghanaian aspect as they looked for the purpose that will ship them by.
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 diminished to 10 gamers and the mixture rating nonetheless degree, the Queen Cranes regarded firmly in management and appeared heading in the right direction to both power additional time or full a well-known comeback.
Nonetheless, the turning level arrived with about 10 minutes remaining.
Goalkeeper Lilian Nakirya rushed out to clear a free 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 residence crowd and restore Ghana’s combination benefit.
Sherly Ulanda Botes’ aspect responded with urgency within the closing phases as they desperately searched for an additional purpose.
Captain Agnes Nabukenya got here closest for Uganda with a harmful free-kick that drifted narrowly large, whereas Nakirya later redeemed herself with a wonderful 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 shall be held in Poland later this yr.
For Uganda, whose qualification marketing campaign was additionally ended by Ghana final yr, the anticipate 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 development and promise of girls’s soccer in Uganda.
