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Nabukenya shoulders above Namibia

Uganda's U-17 skipper Agnes Nabukenya scored six goals against Namibia. PHOTOS/JOHN BATANUDDE 

What you need to know:

Nabukenya danced through the Namibia defence to make it 1-0 in the sixth minute then squared one for Boni Consilii forward Rinah Ariho to make it 2-0 four minutes later.
 

Uganda are as good as qualified for the second round of the Fifa U-17 Women's World Cup owing to a 10-0 win over Namibia on Thursday at Hamz Stadium Nakivubo.

The sides were playing the first leg of the first round of the qualifiers, which Namibia elected to host here, and Agnes Nabukenya scored hattricks in either half to set up that second round date with neighbours Kenya in March. 

Nabukenya danced through the Namibia defence to make it 1-0 in the sixth minute then squared one for Boni Consilii forward Rinah Ariho to make it 2-0 four minutes later.

Ariho returned the favour in the 12th minute for Nabukenya to make it 3-0 and the latter combined with Kawempe Muslim teammate Cynthia Kirenga to complete her hattrick. Nabukenya made it 5-0 in the 26th minute thereby forcing Namibia coach Victor Ndeitunga to withdraw Shiwovanhu Haukongo for Anna-Marie Kotze.

It looked it Namibia had found a solution and even ventured forward with captain Nancy Lebang unsuccessfully trying to chip Uganda's keeper Hairah Nabbosa.

Interestingly Nabbosa started her national team path in a stadium where her father Ayub Khalifa won Kawempe Muslim its first women's topflight league title 10 years ago.

However, Nabirye found Ariho in the 43rd minute to make it 6-0 and worry Ndeitunga further. 

Isabella Blick wheels away after scoring a goal against Namibia in 10-0 win. 

Blick's moment 

At the start of the second half, coach Sheryl Botes withdrew the Kawempe trio of Nabbosa, Kirenga, and Belinda Nabawanuka for Sharifah Namutebi, Rashidah Nakalema, and Loyce Komugisha respectively.

Namibia tried to hold but another substitute Joan Namulindwa scored in the 65th. Nabukenya also added more in the 67th and 71st minute to make it 9-0 after blazing an indirect freekick, which got the Botswana fourth official Tsietsi Ntebogang taking Congolese referee Rachael Nzigire into a refresher of the rules, over the bar.

Immediately after, Ariho made way for former motocross sensation Isabella Blick, daughter of International Olympic Committee member and former UOC president William Blick. 

Isabella put the icing on the cake as she scored the 10th right infront of her jubilant father in the 78th minute. 

It was the perfect game for Uganda whose only worry should be that they played in a near-empty stadium. Unfortunately for the hapless Namibia, they must face the same side again in the second leg on Sunday.

Fifa U-17 World Cup Qualifiers

First round at Hamz Stadium Nakivubo

First leg (yesterday): Namibia 0-10 Uganda

Second leg (Sunday): Uganda vs. Namibia, 4pm

Second round: Namibia/Uganda vs. Kenya, March 7-16, 2025

Third round: April 18-20, 2025

Fourth round: April 25-27, 2025

Final tournament: October 17 – November 4