2028 Olympics Qualifiers: Crested Cranes stage comeback to edge Zambia

Uganda Senior Women’s National Team secured victory over Zambia in the first leg of the second qualification round of the 2028 CAF Women’s Olympic qualifying tournament.

The Crested Cranes had to come from a goal down to win 2-1 against the Copper Queens, who had taken an early lead.

Prisca Chilufya gave Zambia an early lead just six minutes after kickoff, but Uganda was able to recover and score through Agnes Nabukenya and Sylvia Kabene.

Zambia took the lead through Chilufya, who tucked into an empty net after being teed up by skipper Barbara Banda.

Banda did the donkey work on the right before laying up Chilufya at the far post, and the latter was in place to finish from close range.

Uganda thereafter grew in confidence and got chance after chance, first through Sylvia Kabene but failed to control the ball and fluffed the chance.

In the 22nd minute, Nabukenya went through on goal and put the ball beyond Hazel Nali, but her effort agonisingly ricocheted off the upright.

She eventually got onto the score sheet, three minutes after the half-hour mark with a ferocious strike from a free kick just outside the box.

The first half ended one-all, but it was Uganda that ended on top, ramping up attack after attack.

Kabene got the winner in the 57th minute, heading from close range to send the sizable crowd into celebrations.

Auki Kigogo made a quick start from the corner to Zaina Nandede, whose well-weighted cross was perfectly met by Kabene to score.

The win means Uganda takes a lead into the return leg slated for next week on Tuesday at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

The winner on aggregate between Uganda and Zambia will face Mauritius or Ghana at the third qualification round.

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