WITH high hopes to succeed, Tanzania’s envoys in the Under-17 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, Serengeti Girls head to launch their group D campaign against Japan at Fartoda Stadium in India on October 13th this year.
The other two group D teams are France and Canada. That means that Serengeti Girls must win against these teams in order to book a slot into the quarterfinal stage.
The team is currently in London where they have pitched a camp to learn Rules of Engagement before heading to the battlefield.
Under the tutelage of Bakari Shime, there is no doubt that the brave Ladies are going to succeed and who knows, the country’s girls may return home with the coveted World Cup silverware.
Speaking from England, Shime said he was adamant that his charges are ripe and ready to write a new chapter while urging all Tanzanians to rally behind their brave ladies.
“The most important thing is that every player in the squad is in good health and looking forward to represent Tanzania well in this biggest showdown and I am confident that they will achieve much,” he said.
Tanzania High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr Asha-Rose Migiro, who paid a courtesy call to the team, encouraged the players to do their assignments with a strong determination to succeed.
“We all need you to clinch the World Cup trophy. You have the capacity to achieve that. Make sure that you train hard and be ready to adapt and grasp the skills imparted to you,” she said.
It is good to see that Tanzania flag will fly high at the women’s football World Cup for the first time thereby turning a new page and recording a long lasting memory which will never fade away.
This is another testimony that football standard in the country is going up and towards the right direction and that is a reason for Tanzanians to feel proud.
As the brave girls are making a maiden appearance to the tournament, they will learn many things which are essential for the enhancement of women football.
The country is doing well in terms of women football development no wonder there is a competitive Serengeti Lite Women’s Premier League (SLWPL) which is helping a lot to groom talented players.
However, massive investment is still needed in order to propel further the growth of women football and make it reach all corners of the country.
Qualification of Serengeti Girls to the World Cup finals could not have been made possible if the SLWPL was nowhere to be seen since it is where competitive players are nurtured.
The Under 17 women World Cup finals in India will be a good platform to sell their talents as the whole world will be keenly following.
Women football is rising high globally and many teams are searching for quality players to be featured in their respective sides as such, an opportunity for them to showcase what their legs are capable to do.
It is evident that many women clubs will deploy their scouting agents to the finals specifically to identify good talents and here is where Serengeti Girls players should aim to express themselves.
Indeed, African players have a big advantage to be signed by European teams basing on their energetic character and can easily withstand culture of other nations.
Generally, this is the time for Tanzania to make a breakthrough at a world cup platform and after excelling in continental events, time has come to make a global impact.
Africa will be represented by three teams – Tanzania, Nigeria and Morocco – which together are all set to carry the weight of the continent.
