South Africa vs Uganda : Four key players ruled out of today’s tie | 2022 Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup – Sbk Sports Mail

The third round of the 2022 Fifa U20 World Cup Qualifiers continues today with several teams vying to earn a spot in the fourth round of the ongoing qualifiers and keep their qualification dreams to the 2022 Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup alive.

In particular, it looks like it will be a huge afternoon for South Africa’s U20 women’s National Football team, who will be looking to overturn the 1-0 deficit inflicted on them by their East African counterparts (Uganda U20 Women’s National Football Team) in the first leg of the third round of the 2022 Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers.

Hadijah Nandago’s 19th minute header off a Margaret Kunihira well taken corner kick was all Ayub Khalifa Kiyingi’s side required to claim a narrow win at home in the first leg of the third round of the 2022 Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers played at the St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende.

Today, Friday 17th December 2022 in Johannesburg at Dobsonville Stadium , South Africa’s Basetsana will be anxious to escape a slip up at this stage, having previously reached the final round in their last three successive qualifying campaigns but will have to do so in the absence of some key players due to health related challenges.

“It hasn’t been easy because there are players that have been testing positive and not coming to training,"
 
"Having to replace players in a short space of time. Now players that were here in the first round are not here. So we have to restart in terms of tactics and application of tactics with the players.

"It makes it a bit of a challenge going into this game. It’s not gonna be easy, as it wasn’t easy when we played in the first round, as we go further in the competition it’s always not easy."-South Africa's U20 Women's National Football Team Head coach Jabulile Baloyi told Cafonline.com

The key South African U20 Women’s National Football team players ruled out of the second leg tie against Uganda are Zethembiso Vilakazi, Chelsea Daniels, Thina Mphehle, Thubelihle Shamase, Lithemba Sam-Sam and custodian Nthabiseng Ramaisha.

However, South Africa’s Coach Jabulile Baloyi is upbeat about her team’s chances of progressing despite the absence of the aforementioned players and she is very confident that the makeshift group can excel on their home ground.

“We have had some challenges from our side but we have tried to manage and come up with solutions. We are hoping for positive results,"
 
"We have had two sessions to train, we are hoping it’s good enough and more than enough for us to get positive results here at home because we will be playing with confidence since we are at home and not away."- Baloyi added

Meanwhile, her counterpart and Uganda U20 Women’s National Football team Head coach Ayub Khalifa is wary of the weather in Johannesburg, South Africa ahead of the much anticipated second leg tie between South Africa and his side but he’s optimistic for a positive outcome from a game that will not be televised.

 “I’m worried of heavy winds that keep blowing the ball to one side but we have tried all possible ways to adapt to the weather and we’re hoping for positive results.” -  Ayub Khalifa said after his team's last training session yesterday.

South Africa must overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit against Uganda to fancy a chance of earning a spot in the fourth round of the African qualifiers for the Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup, Costa Rica 2022.

The winner on aggregate between Uganda and South Africa will progress to the fourth round where they will face either Ghana or Zambia.

UGANDA U20 WOMEN’S NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM PROBABLE LINE UP

Daphine Nyayenga (GK), Samalie Nakacwa, Sumaya Komuntale, Asia Nakibuuka, Bira Nadunga, Aisha Nantongo, Shakira Nyinagahirwa, Hadija Nandago, Margret Kunihira, Juliet Nalukenge, Fauzia Najjemba

For starters , Africa as a continent will have two representatives at the final of the Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup that will be held in Costa Rica in 2022.

The tournament, staged every two years, will see sixteen nations compete against each other for top honours. With continental qualification pathways leading to an exciting finals event, the competition has seen four past champions: USA, Germany, Japan and Korea DPR. Japan are the defending champions, having won their first title in 2018