2020 U17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers: Option for Zambia and Morocco

Zambia and Morocco made strong starts in the first leg of the qualifiers for the 2020 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, taking important steps toward the next round of the competition. Both sides secured valuable victories on Friday, boosting their chances ahead of the return fixtures.

At home, Zambia delivered an impressive 2-0 win over South Africa. After advancing from the previous round due to Namibia’s withdrawal, the young Copper Queens showed composure and efficiency. Dorica Malunga opened the scoring before Esther Banda added a second goal to seal a convincing result. The Zambian side demonstrated solidity at the back and clinical finishing up front, giving themselves a comfortable cushion heading into the second leg.

Meanwhile, Morocco also secured a crucial away victory, defeating Botswana 1-0 in Gaborone. The Atlas Lionesses needed just one decisive moment to make the difference. Salma Tammar found the net, ensuring Morocco returned home with a narrow but precious advantage. Winning away from home puts the North African side in a favorable position as they prepare to host the return match.

These positive results reflect the growing competitiveness of women’s football in both nations. Zambia’s physical presence and attacking sharpness were evident throughout their encounter, while Morocco displayed tactical discipline and resilience to protect their slender lead on foreign soil.

The qualifying campaign continues this weekend with four additional first-leg matches on the schedule. Guinea will take on Nigeria, Liberia face Ghana, Tanzania meet Uganda, and São Tomé and Príncipe go up against Cameroon. Each of these fixtures will play a crucial role in shaping the race for qualification.

With only a limited number of African spots available for the final tournament in India, every goal and defensive effort carries significant weight. Zambia and Morocco have laid solid foundations, but the job is far from complete. The return legs will ultimately determine which teams move one step closer to representing Africa on the world stage at the U17 Women’s World Cup.