By Samindra Kunti in Mumbai
October 19 – Tanzania’s ‘Serengeti Girls’ created history by reaching the last eight of the U-17 World Cup, holding Canada to a 1-1 draw to secure a vital point in Group D. Spain, Colombia and Japan completed the quarter-final line-up.
Before Tanzania’s crunch match with Canada, coach Bakari Shime had said that a win would be a turning point for the women’s game back home.
Last year, Tanzania’s senior women’s team won the Cosafa Championship, but no Tanzanian team had ever made it to a World Cup until the Serengeti Girls defeated Cameroon 5-1 on aggregate to book their ticket to India.
Against Canada, the Tanzanians required just one point to progress from Group D and Shime’s team dropped deep in the second half after the teams had gone into the dressing room at 1-1, but they held on for a remarkable result. They will now play Colombia in the last eight of the tournament, dreaming no doubt of going even one step further.
The Colombians pipped Spain on goal difference for the top spot in Group C. The Spanish edged China 1-0 courtesy of a looping header from Marina Artero midway through the second half before Wang’s goal was ruled out.
The Chinese, however, failed throughout the match to create meaningful goalmouth action. In Goa, Colombia defeated Mexico 2-1.
On Friday, the United States and Nigeria get the quarter-finals underway at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, the venue for the tournament’s final on October 30. It’s the second time that India have staged a major FIFA tournament, after hosting the U-17 Men’s World Cup five years ago to bumper crowds bit with the host nation crashing out in the first round, a result that was repeated with this year’s women’s finals.
The quarter-finals:
Germany – Brazil
USA – Nigeria
Colombia – Tanzania
Japan – Spain
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1713926083labto1713926083ofdlr1713926083owedi1713926083sni@i1713926083tnuk.1713926083ardni1713926083mas1713926083
