Colombia a ‘bridge too far’ for Serengeti Girls
Tanzania’s U-17 women’s national football team (Serengeti Girls) pose for a photo shortly before facing Canada in their last match of group D at the DY Patil Sports Stadium in India yesterday. PHOTO | COURTESY
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s U-17 Women football team the Serengeti Girls on Saturday failed to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup after they lost to Colombia 3-0 in the quarter-final game played at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Three first half goals scored by Linda Caicedo, Yesica Munoz and Gabriela Rodriguez in the 3rd, 17th and 36th minutes were enough to sink the Serengeti Girls who seemed unable to withstand the rain that fell throughout the first half.
Colombia’s pace especially in final third of the pitch left Serengeti chasing shadows and bore fruit early in the third minute through Caicedo who scored skillfully chipping the ball past an oncoming goalie.
Serengeti Girls suffered a blow in the 23rd minute of the game after striker, Zainabu Ally was shown a straight red card by the referee Ivana Martinčić from Croatia after a dangerous challenge on the Colombian defender, Juana Ortegon.
Initially, referee Martinčić showed Zainabu Ally a yellow card but after watching the replay of the incident through video assistant referee technology (VAR), she canceled the decision and showed the Serengeti Girls striker a straight red card.
And from that point the outcome of the game was obvious as Gabriela Rodriguez went on to grab a third goal for Colombia in the 34th minute from the spot after Zulfa Makau fouled Yesica Munoz inside the area.
Serengeti Girls ended the match with nine girls after Noela Luhala was shown a red card in the dying minutes of the game.
Columbia will now meet Nigeria in the Semifinals.
Even with the exit, Serengeti Girls made history as the first debutants to make it out of the group stage.
Serengeti Girls Line-up: Zulfa Makau, Noela Luhala, Dotto Evarist, Violeth Mwamakamba, Hasnath Ubamba, Koku Kipanga, Veronica Mapunda, Joyce Lema, Diana Mnally, Neema Kinega and Zainabu Ally.
