Costa Rica 2022: Senegal, S/Africa, Cameroon, Nigeria, 12 others advance to Third Round

By Harry Awurumibe, Africa’s No.1 Women’s Football Journalist

With the withdrawal of Guinea Bissau and conclusion of the second leg matches of Second  Round of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup ‘Costa Rica 2022’ African qualifiers, the field is now complete as 16 countries have advanced to the Third Round including Nigeria.

Although the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has not fixed dates

for the first and second leg matches of the Third Round actions, the 16 countries have already known their opponents as eight matches will be played at this stage.

According to the fixtures obtained by Sportsrevelation Tanzania which dispatched Eritrea 4-0 on aggregate scores will be up in arms against Burundi that qualified on 5-0 goals aggregate over Namibia. Botswana humbled Angola 8-1 on goals aggregate to get over the line to take on Ethiopia that qualified courtesy of 8-0 aggregate against Rwanda.

Also, Uganda that beat Kenya 10-3 aggregate will face South Africa. South Africa defeated Mozambique 3-2 at the weekend. Asanda Hadebe’s hat-trick (13 ’, 29’, 82 ’) was a big part of South Africa’s success over Mozambique in the second leg. Elsa Mulingandale’s brace for Mozambique side (17 ’, 40’) also gave the visitors a chance to believe until the end. South Africans finally won by an aggregate score of 4-2 thanks to a 1-0 victory in the first leg.

Other interesting fixtures are Zambia versus Ghana;  Morocco that qualified in very hard way after a tight 3-2 aggregate score against Benin Republic in Cotonou on Saturday will face Gambia,  Senagal will tackle West African neighbours Guinea as Gabon will host Cameroon in the first leg while ruthless Nigeria will be a guest of Congo in Brazaville in the first leg of the Third Round.

THIRD ROUND FIXTURES

*Tanzania v Burundi

*Botswana v Ethiopia

*Uganda v South Africa

*Zambia v Ghana

*Morocco v Gambia

*Senegal  v Guinea

*Gabon v Cameroon

*Congo v Nigeria