By 
The Uganda U-20 Women’s National Team, known as the Queen Cranes, delivered a commanding performance on Friday afternoon, defeating Namibia 3-0 in the first leg of the second round of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
The match, played at the FUFA Kadiba Stadium in Kampala, saw all three goals come in the second half, giving the home side a strong advantage ahead of the return leg scheduled for Monday.
After a goalless first half where both teams showed defensive discipline, Sylvia Kabene broke the deadlock just two minutes after the restart. She controlled the ball superbly with her chest before firing at goal a shot that the Namibian goalkeeper failed to handle cleanly, allowing the opener to find the back of the net.
Despite Namibia’s efforts to regroup and press forward in search of an equalizer, Uganda’s defense, led by goalkeeper Lillian Nakiirya, stood firm and kept a clean sheet.
In the latter stages of the match, Barbara Anono doubled Uganda’s lead with a composed finish, before Mary Kantono sealed the victory with a third goal deep into stoppage time a well-earned reward after sustained pressure.
Uganda’s head coach Sheryl Botes praised her team’s focus and execution, expressing satisfaction with the three-goal cushion ahead of the second leg.
“We are very happy to win the first leg with three goals. It gives us a great advantage before the return match on Monday,” said Botes.
With a 3-0 first-leg advantage, the Queen Cranes will look to finish the job on Monday when they face Namibia again at the same venue. A win or draw will see them progress to the next round as they continue their journey towards a historic qualification for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026.
