U20 girls eye Nigeria scalp WC clash

The national U-20 women’s soccer team head coach, Sebastian Nkoma, has included Kigoma Sisters midfielder Vumilia Maarifa in his squad for their match against Nigeria’s Falconets.

Tanzanites, as the national youth is popularly known, will go head-to-head with the Falconets in the first round, return leg of the 2018 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier on Sunday at Azam Complex.

Having lost 3-0 to the West Africans in the first leg in Benin City in Nigeria nearly two weeks ago, the Tanzanian girls need a win of at least four clear goals on Sunday to book a place in the next stage of the qualifiers.

Nkoma said yesterday that Vumilia has already reported at camp. He expressed optimism that the qualifier would produce positive results for his team.

He said they need a midfielder of Maarifa’s calibre to contain the Nigerians who won a battle in the midfield in the first leg.

According to Nkoma, they have undergone adequate preparations ahead of the match.

Nkoma said he has addressed the weaknesses he noted during the first leg match.

“My players are not as experienced as their Nigerian counterparts, but I am optimistic they will give the West Africans a run for their money on Sunday,” he said conmfidently.

The Falcons are expcted in the country later this week for the qualifier billed to be toiugh.

Nkoma believes the match will produce positive for the Tanzanian girls.

He said his team has played a number s, I decided to play men matches against men team in order to make them strong and experience toughness, they did the best,” he said.

“Our focus is now for the return leg, we are looking for victory at our home soil and believe we will make it, I have good players despite they are not experienced one, we know our mistakes, we will rectify all before the encounter,” he said.