Tanzania’s Under-17 women’s national team, Serengeti Girls, has stepped up preparations ahead of the crucial return leg of their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying clash against South Africa.
The team heads into the decisive match with a challenging task after suffering a 2-0 defeat in the first leg played at the New Amaan Complex in Zanzibar.
The result means Tanzania must deliver a strong performance away from home to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Speaking from South Africa, Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Executive Committee Member and head of delegation Somoe Ng’itu said the squad remains in good condition, with players showing strong determination and morale as they prepare for the high-stakes encounter.
He said each player fully understands the importance of the match and the responsibility of representing the country at such a crucial stage of the competition.
“We know football is played in two halves. We played the first 45 minutes at home, and now we are going to complete the remaining 45 minutes here in South Africa. We made mistakes in the first leg, and our opponents capitalised on them,” said Somoe.
He added that the technical bench has been working closely with the players to address the weaknesses identified in the first match, focusing on tactical discipline, defensive organisation, and finishing.
According to the team, the focus is now on improving efficiency in front of goal while maintaining composure under pressure, as they aim to overturn the deficit.
Serengeti Girls will need a win by more than two goals in the return leg to revive their hopes of progressing to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
