Burundi, Burkina Faso, Botswana and Togo set to debut at Women’s Afcon

THE field is set for this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which will see four more teams than in previous editions of the tournament.

Burundi, Burkina Faso, Botswana and Togo will be making their Women’s AFCON debut at the expanded edition to be launched in Morocco from 2-23 July. The second leg ties of the final round of qualification were decided between 21-23 February.

Burundi, unranked by FIFA, became the third team to qualify for the tournament after hosts Morocco and Uganda, who advanced following the surprise withdrawal of Kenya.

Building on the emphatic 6-1 home victory they secured over Djibouti in the first leg, the Swallows delivered another brilliant performance in the second leg to win 5-0 on Monday.

Senegal pulled off an upset against Mali 3-2 on penalties – after a 1-1 aggregate draw – to make a return to the Women’s AFCON after a decade.

Senegal won the first leg 1-0 and Mali returned the favour in the second leg on Tuesday courtesy of Agueissa Diarra’s 14th-minute goal in Bamako.

The Teranga Lionesses, who made their debut in the continental showpiece in 2012, did not have to rue a regulation-time penalty miss as they made up for it in the penalty shootout – similar to how their male counterparts beat Egypt to lift their first Africa Cup of Nations title two weeks ago on 6 February.

In Johannesburg, South Africa, where Namibia hosted Zambia, substitute Siomala Mapepa’s goal in the 70th minute proved decisive for the Copper Queens as they secured a place in the Women’s AFCON on away goals.

Following a goalless draw in the first leg, Namibia took an early lead through Emma Naris in the second leg on Tuesday but Mapepa’s goal sealed qualification for Zambia.

The final seven slots were decided on Wednesday. Despite losing 2-0 at home on Wednesday, the Mares of Botswana saw off Zimbabwe on away goals to qualify for their first-ever WAFCON. Their opponents were eyeing a fifth appearance, but Botswana had done enough in the first leg, where they won 3-1 away from home.

Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie saved a penalty for reigning champions Nigeria as they went on to beat Cote d’Ivoire 1-0 courtesy of Esther Okoronkwo’s late goal in the 87th minute. The nine-time champions qualified for their 12th WAFCON.

South Africa and Cameroon are the other two sides that have never missed any edition of the tournament. Banyana Banayana played out a 1-1 draw against Algeria on Wednesday to seal their place with a 3-1 aggregate win, while the Indomitable Lionesses beat Gambia 2-1 in the second leg of their final round fixture  to qualify 10-1 on aggregate.

Amouklou Ame Lila, goalkeeper of the Female Sparrowhawks of Togo, saved a penalty in her side’s 2-1 away victory against Gabon. A goal from the penalty would have given Gabon the lead, but it was Togo, who are also unranked by FIFA as per the ranking released in December 2021, that had the upper hand five minutes later after the save and went on to secure qualification. Both sides were looking to qualify for their first-ever WAFCON.

Burkina Faso complete the quartet of debutants following their 7-0 aggregate victory over Guinea-Bissau.

DEBUTANTS

Among the teams that will be making their debut Women’s AFCON appearance in Morocco, only Botswana had reached the final round of qualification before.

That was in 2016 when they were beaten 5-0 on aggregate by South Africa. Burkina Faso have participated in the qualification since 2014 but had never gone beyond the first round.

Togo’s only previous participation was in 2006, when they thumped São Tomé and Príncipe 9-0 on aggregate in the preliminary round before they were halted by Congo in the first round.

For Burundi, however, this was their first participation in the qualifiers, having pulled out twice before in 2008 and 2012.

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

Nigeria hold the record for the team with the most titles having won the tournament nine times – three times in a row since 2014 – and are the defending champions.

They are also one of three teams that have not missed any edition of the tournament, alongside South Africa and Cameroon.

QUALIFICATION

A record 44 began the race for a place at the first ever 12-team Women’s AFCON on May 10, 2021 when the draw for the qualification series was staged at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

The teams were divided into six pots based on geographical zones – CECAFA, COSAFA, UNAF, UNIFFAC, WAFU A, WAFU B – and this resulted in first round fixtures that raised eyebrows, especially the tie that pitted two of the continents heavyweight against each other; Nigeria and Ghana.

After getting rid of Ghana, Nigeria still had to eliminate another of the continent’s top team in Cote d’Ivoire to seal their place in Morocco.

WITHDRAWALS

The first round of the qualification series recorded four walkovers, Rwanda and DR Congo did not even kick a ball while Sudan and São Tomé and Príncipe pulled out after first leg defeats. Kenya surprisingly pulled out a few weeks to the start of the second and final round.

WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION

All the semi-finalists of the Women’s AFCON in Morocco will qualify for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in Australia and New Zealand. While another two teams will get a second chance to qualify through the inter-confederation play-offs.

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