Somalia’s U-17 women’s national team made history by registering the country’s first-ever international victory in women’s football, defeating Sudan 8-2 at the CECAFA U-17 Women’s Championship in Tanzania. Nagma Mohamed starred with a hat-trick as Somalia ended their debut campaign on a memorable high.
Somalia U-17 women celebrate their historic 8-2 win over Sudan. Photo: Tanzania Football Federation.
DAR ES SALAAM (Somali Report) — Somalia’s U-17 women’s national team etched their name into the history books on Wednesday after securing the country’s first-ever international victory in women’s football, defeating Sudan 8-2 in a thrilling Group A encounter at the CECAFA U-17 Women’s Championship.
The landmark win came at the KMC Stadium in Dar es Salaam and marked a memorable conclusion to Somalia’s debut campaign in the regional tournament. Despite suffering heavy defeats in their opening two matches against hosts Tanzania and regional powerhouse Kenya, the young Somali side displayed remarkable resilience to end the group stage on a high note.
Forward Nagma Mohamed was the star of the afternoon, producing a superb hat-trick to lead Somalia’s attacking charge. Sundus Mohamed added two goals, while Hibo Salad, Halimo Isse and Maryan Osoble also found the back of the net as Somalia overwhelmed fellow debutants Sudan.
Sudan managed to score through Nashwa Abbas and Fatin Fadol, but the result belonged firmly to Somalia, whose players celebrated a victory that could become a turning point for the growth of women’s football in the country.
Speaking after the match, Player of the Match Nagma Mohamed expressed her delight at scoring three goals and helping her team secure a historic result.
“I am very happy that I scored three goals today. This will motivate me to keep working hard,” she said.
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Head coach Maha Mohamed Hagi praised his players for their determination and commitment throughout the tournament.
“We came to this championship to gain experience and learn. I am happy that we have also managed to register our first international win. This is only the beginning, and we will continue improving as we participate in more competitions,” said Hagi.
The victory was particularly significant considering Somalia’s difficult start to the tournament. The team opened its campaign with a 4-0 defeat against Tanzania before suffering a 6-0 loss to Kenya’s highly rated Junior Starlets.
Kenya’s side, coached by Mildred Cheche, dominated Group A and secured qualification to the semi-finals after recording consecutive victories over Sudan and Somalia. Against Somalia, Kenya raced into an early lead through Faith Boke before further goals from Brenda Achieng, Beryl Okumu, Elizabeth Opiyo and Patience Mwenda completed a comprehensive 6-0 triumph.
The Kenyan team entered its final group-stage fixture against Tanzania sitting at the top of Group A with six points and an impressive goal difference, underlining their status as one of the tournament favourites.
Elsewhere, Uganda and South Sudan booked their places in the semi-finals from Group B after maintaining perfect records. Uganda defeated Zanzibar 3-0, while South Sudan cruised to a 6-0 victory over Djibouti, confirming both teams’ progression to the knockout stage.
The 2026 CECAFA U-17 Women’s Championship has brought together eight teams from across East and Central Africa, including first-time participants Somalia and Sudan. While Somalia’s campaign may have ended in the group stage, their historic victory against Sudan represents a major milestone and a source of inspiration for the future of women’s football in the country.
About the Author
Omar Adam is a Senior Reporter for Somali Report based in Addis Ababa. He reports on Ethiopian politics, security, business, and economic affairs, with a special focus on the Somali Region and the experiences, governance, and development of Somali communities across Ethiopia.
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