Khumalo Anticipates Challenging U17 World Cup Qualifier Against Tanzania

Atteridgeville: Head Coach of the South African U17 Women's National team, Ntombifuthi Khumalo, has expressed her anticipation of a challenging match against Tanzania in the second leg of the 2026 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup qualifier. The match is set to take place at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday. According to South African Football Association, South Africa holds a 2-0 lead from the first leg in Zanzibar, where the team secured victory last weekend at the New Aman Stadium. Despite the advantage, Khumalo remains cautious and has urged her team to approach the match with focus. She emphasized the importance of treating the upcoming fixture as a fresh contest, starting from a neutral scoreline. Khumalo highlighted the need for her team to be efficient in front of the goal and to avoid unnecessary fouls in critical areas, which could pose a threat. Stressing the importance of fundamentals, she advised her players to avoid risky passes in their own half and to maintain composure. The first leg saw early g oals from Khwezi Khoza and Aaliyah Jacobs, which contributed to South Africa's lead. Reflecting on the previous match, Khumalo praised her team for their preparation and early scoring, which helped them manage the aerial threats posed by the opposition. Despite creating numerous opportunities, she acknowledged the need for improved goal conversion, an area they are actively working on. The upcoming match marks Bantwana's second in the qualifiers, following the withdrawal of their initial opponents, Central African Republic. The team aims to progress to the third and final round, where they will face either Uganda or Kenya in July. Africa has been allocated five spots for the 2026 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup, including host nation Morocco, with the tournament scheduled from 17 October to 7 November.