Tanzania, Morocco and Ghana are on the verge of securing their places in the fourth qualifying round for the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup, India 2022 after their comfortable first leg wins on Saturday, April 16.
Tanzania thrashed Burundi 4-0 at Stade Urukundo, as Morocco swept past Niger 11-0 at Stade du General Senyi Kountche, while Ghana defeated Guinea 3-1 at General Lansana Conte Stadium in the initial fixtures of the third round of the African qualifiers.
In Ngozi, the Tanzanite started on a front foot against their Burundians when Clara Luvanga opened the scoring for the visitors in the 32nd minute of the CECAFA derby encounter.
With a 1-0 up, Tanzania continued where they left off when Neema Paul doubled the visitors' lead to the disappointment of the home fans seven minutes into the second half.
To compound the hosts' woes, Luvanga netted her brace and her side's third in the 74th minute before Hunsa Mpanja wrapped up the big away triumph with her fine finish at the death.
After a home loss, Burundi will seek to bounce back in Zanzibar when they take on the Tanzanite at Amaan Stadium on May 1.
Meanwhile, Cherif Djennah opened the floodgates in the ninth minute for the junior Atlas Lionesses in Niamey before El Madani Doha grabbed brace with her 20th and 30th minute strikes and Yasmine Zouhir added the fourth before the half time break.
At the restart, Djennah got the second half back on a high with the fifth goal in the 54th minute before Zouhir's second on the hour mark for the ruthless visitors' sixth of the match.
Red-hot Djennah hit her third of the match in the 66th minute for the rampant Moroccans before Zouhir netted her treble in the 74th minute and Djennah bagged her fourth four minutes later.
In the final five minutes, Khlifi Mayssene and Sioui Yasmine registered their names on the score sheets to complete the rout and made the reverse fixture at Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Al Hassan in Rabat on April 29 a formality for the North Africans.
Elsewhere, the Black Maidens stormed to an early lead thanks to captain Georgina Ayisha Aoyem in the 13th minute in Conakry.
The ambitious Ghanaians continued asking questions of the Guineans defence and were rewarded with the second through Rasheedat Shahadu's brilliant strike in the 31st minute.
On return from recess, the hosts pulled one back three minutes after the restart but Mariama Maltiti struck in the 59th minute to ensure the visitors claimed a two-goal away victory.
With a home defeat, the Guineans wil be facing an uphill task to turn the table around when both sides meet again at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium for the second leg match on April 30. CAF Women's Football
