The crucial tie is set for Saturday at the Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda. The Tanzanite Queens carry a commanding 4–0 advantage from the first leg
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s U-20 Women’s National Team, the Tanzanite Queens, left the country in the early hours of Wednesday morning for Angola, where they will play their decisive return-leg match in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
The final tournament is scheduled to take place in Poland next year.
The crucial tie is set for Saturday at the Estádio 11 de Novembro in Luanda. The Tanzanite Queens carry a commanding 4–0 advantage from the first leg, which they secured last Sunday at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam.
With such a lead, the team is seen as firm favorites to progress, but head coach Bakari Shime insists there is no room for complacency.
“Our aim in this match is to win again,” Shime said before departure. “To make that possible, we must ensure that Angola do not score in the opening 20 minutes. If they manage to get an early goal, it will raise their confidence and belief, which could make the game more difficult for us.”
The coach revealed that the team has been working hard to correct mistakes from the first leg, particularly their shaky start. “In the last match, we showed some weaknesses in the first half, especially in terms of composure and possession.
We lacked stability in midfield, and that allowed Angola to control the tempo at times. We have addressed those issues to make sure they do not happen again,” Shime explained.
The Tanzanite Queens’ strategy will focus heavily on midfield dominance, as Shime pointed out that Angola’s strength lies in that area.
“Angola showed quality in midfield during the first game, even though they lacked creativity to penetrate our defense. This time we are prepared to control the central area better and limit their opportunities,” he added.
For the Tanzanian players, the trip to Angola represents more than just a qualifier—it is part of a bigger dream of reaching the World Cup for the first time in the team’s history.
A positive result would take them a step closer to that goal. Should they overcome Angola, Tanzanite Queens will face the winner between Kenya and Ethiopia in the next round of the qualifiers.
With their confidence high and lessons learned from the first leg, the Tanzanite Queens are determined to finish the job in Luanda and continue their journey toward Poland 2026.
