The Crested Cranes’ quest for a spot in the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) came to a heartbreaking conclusion in Addis Ababa, as Ethiopia staged a remarkable turnaround to eliminate Uganda in the first qualifying round.
Despite entering the second leg with a commanding 2-0 advantage from the opening fixture in Kampala, Uganda found themselves on the receiving end of an inspired Ethiopian resurgence at the Abebe Bikila Stadium.
The Lucy, spurred on by a passionate home crowd and the tactical expertise of coach Yosef Gebrewold, clawed their way back into contention with a resilient performance that left Ugandan fans reeling.
The match opened with both sides displaying grit and determination, but neither could find the breakthrough in a tense first half officiated by Nigerian FIFA referee Patience Madu.
The deadlock persisted as the teams went into the break, leaving Uganda still in control of the aggregate scoreline.
However, the game took a dramatic twist early in the second half when Uganda’s star forward, Fazila Ikwaput, was shown a straight red card, tilting the momentum heavily in Ethiopia’s favor. With a numerical advantage, the Lucy capitalized on their opportunity and intensified their offensive play.
Their persistence paid off in the 66th minute when Young Princess forward Aregash Kalsa found the back of the net, halving Uganda’s aggregate lead to 2-1 and reigniting the home fans’ hopes of a miraculous comeback.
Uganda, now under immense pressure, fought valiantly to hold onto their slender advantage. However, their resilience was shattered deep into stoppage time when substitute Estegnet Girma rose to meet a well-placed free kick, heading home the equalizer to bring the aggregate score to 2-2.
With the tie level, the contest proceeded to the ultimate test of nerves a penalty shootout. In a nail-biting finale, Ethiopia held firm, converting five penalties against Uganda’s four to complete their stunning comeback and advance to the final qualification round.
The Lucy will now prepare to face the winner between Tanzania and former WAFCON champions Equatorial Guinea in their bid to secure a coveted spot at the continental showpiece.
