Algeria’s U17 women’s national team face a crucial test on Wednesday evening as they take on Botswana in the second leg of the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
Having suffered a 2-1 defeat in Francistown last Saturday, the young Algerian squad must overturn the deficit at the Mustapha-Tchaker Stadium in Blida to secure a place in the final round of qualification.
A must-win encounter
The first leg started brightly for Algeria, who took the lead in the 20th minute through Hanane Sehoul of Affak Relizane.
However, Botswana responded strongly, equalising through Kelestso Lesotho shortly after the hour mark.
Moments later, Samantha Sebotho Amogelang struck to complete the comeback for the home side, leaving Algeria with an uphill task in the return fixture.
Tonight’s match is a decisive moment for the team as they aim to make history by qualifying for their first-ever U17 Women’s World Cup, set to be hosted on African soil.
coach Abdenour Mira has been working intensively with his squad to prepare them for the challenge, emphasising the need for focus and resilience.
Path to the World Cup
Should Algeria progress, they will advance to the third and final round of qualification, which takes place in April.
The first-leg matches are scheduled for April 18-20, with return fixtures set for April 25-27.
At the end of this phase, four African teams will earn their spots in the tournament, which is set to run from October 17 to November 8, 2025.
With a passionate home crowd behind them in Blida, Algeria will be hoping to deliver a performance worthy of keeping their World Cup dream alive.
