By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
After the completion of the Los Angeles Olympic Games Women’s Football Tournament African Qualifiers Second Round First-Leg matches on Friday, Algeria and Kenya may have qualified for the third round of the competition even before playing their return leg of the second round matches next week.
Also on the cusp of reaching the third round of the Olympics qualifiers without playing their second round return leg games are South Africa, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Benin Republic after securing significant victories in their second round first leg matches during the week.
Prompt News reports that Kenya’s senior women’s football team, the Harambee Starlets, went goals-crazy by walloping hapless Seychelles women’s team 11-0 away from home in the first leg of the second round of the Olympics African qualifiers played at Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi in Kenya with Referee Cacilda Fernando of Mozambique in the centre.
The match hosted by Kenya due to lack of CAF-approved international stadiums in Seychelles was turned to a training session as the Kenyans ran away with 11-0 demolition of Seychelles on the day.
In fact, there is no magic the island nation located in the Indian Ocean, about 1,500 kilometers east of mainland East Africa and northeast of Madagascar can do to overhaul the 11-0 home loss last Thursday.
Kenya has already qualified before both countries will meet again on Monday, October 12, 2026 for the second leg of the double-header at same Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi in Kenya.
Elsewhere, Algeria also walloped Central African Republic (CAR) 8-0 with seven Algerian players on the scoresheet while a CAR defender Irene Ndoumba conceding an own goal in 20′ of the match played at Algeria’s 5 July 1962 Stadium in Algiers on Friday under the watch of referee Seonyatseng Tshephe from Botswana.
Without playing their return leg on Monday,
Algeria’s place in the third round has been guaranteed as the match with CAR will take place at the same 5 July 1962 Stadium, Algiers in what should be a ceremony match for the North African country.
In the same vein Ivory Coast travelled to DR Congo on Friday to thrash the Congolese 4-1 away at TP Mazembe Stadium, Lubumbashi with referee Diana Murungi from Uganda incharge of proceedings.
There is no doubt that Ivory Coast has already qualified for the third round before the return leg match next week at Félix-Houphouët-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan.
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Also, South Africa that white-washed
Madagascar 4 -0 in the first leg match played at Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa on Friday may have qualified without
playing the return leg slated for same Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
Other countries sure of reaching the third round of the qualifiers are Ghana with an impressive 3-0 away win against host Mauritius 0–3 at Côte d’Or National Sports Complex, Saint Pierre, Mauritius.
It will be a miracle for Mauritius that lost scandalously at home to travel to Accra Sports Stadium, Accra on Tuesday to outscore Ghana to advance to the third round stage.
Benin Republic and
Burkina Faso with two goals advantage each after 3–1 victories over Mali and Equatorial Guinea respectively look good to go through if they can avoid a defeat in the return leg ties next week.
Benin Republic on Thursday beat West African sisters Mali 3-1 at Stade de Kégué, Lomé in Togo and if they hold their own next Tuesday at 26 March Stadium in Bamako, they will reach the third round stage.
The same scenario awaits Burkina Faso 3-1 better than Equatorial Guinea on Thursday at 4 August Stadium, Ouagadougou and if they can withstand their opponents on
October 13, 2026 at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé in Cameroon the adopted home of their opponent, they will qualify for the third round.
The probables are 10-time African champions Super Falcons of Nigeria with a hard fought 2-0 victory over a well structured Comoros side at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun state on Friday and the Scorchers of Malawi who beat Zimbabwe 2-0 at Bingu National Stadium, Lilongwe on Friday.
Both countries who have different fortunes at the last Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) last August in Morocco will have to do more in the return leg on Tuesday at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo and at National Sports Stadium, Harare respectively to be sure of the third round qualification.
LA 2028 Qualifiers Second Round First-Leg Match Results
Nigeria 2 vs 0 Comoros
DR Congo 1 vs 4 Côte d’Ivoire
South Africa 4 vs 0 Madagascar
Tunisia 0 vs 1 Senegal
Uganda 2 vs 1 Zambia
Seychelles 0 vs 11 Kenya
Mali 1 vs 3 Benin
Burkina Faso 3 vs 1 Equatorial Guinea
Angola vs
Malawi 2 vs 0 Zimbabwe
Central African Republic 0 vs 8 Algeria
Mauritius 0 vs 3 Ghana
Seychelles 0 vs 11 Kenya
Rwanda 0 vs 1 Ethiopia
Botswana 0 vs 1 Tanzania
Angola 0 vs 0 Namibia
