The Gambia national women’s football team has taken a giant step towards qualifying for the Africa women’s nations cup. Playing away to Sierra Leone, in the first leg of the first round of qualifiers, The Girls won 2-0 with Ola Buwaro and Ruggy Joof providing the goals in Monrovia where the match was played Monday because Sierra Leone’s stadium is not up to Caf’s standard. Gambia coach Mariama ‘Bom’ Sowe praised her side’s determination and expressed hope in the return leg.
The return leg would be played at the Independence Stadium on Monday. It is one of 22 ties being played among 44 teams seeded based on geography rather than a ranking system.
After next week’s first round, there will be 22 nations that will progress to the second round that will decide the 11 nations joining hosts Morocco at next year’s finals.
The four semi-finalists at the 2022 Women’s Nations Cup will all earn automatic places at the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. As well as the semi-finalists, two more African teams will get a second chance to qualify for the World Cup at a 10-team tournament set for New Zealand and Australia with three more nations sealing places at the finals.
