The South African U17 Women’s side has qualified for the second round of the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup after securing a 9-1 win in the second leg of their qualifier against Gabon at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, on Saturday, January 18, 2025.
With their home leg win, the junior South African National Women’s Football team secured a 21-2 aggregate overall victory, having sealed the first and away meeting with a 12-1 thrashing of their opponents.
Head Coach Ntombifuthi Khumalo’s side was 4-0 up at the halftime break, with Nomfundo Nzuza celebrating a hat-trick before the turn-around, after Khwezi Khoza started the South African goals fest with her 6th minute goal.
The visitors managed to score a goal shortly before the break, but that was to be the day’s single breach of the home side’s defence. The second half proved to be another busy stanza, as the South Africans scored unanswered five goals when the match resumed.


Leonay Kock found the back of the net in the 71st minute to open the floodgates, preceding goals from Tania Mohale and a second hat-trick by Lilani Horak, to seal an overwhelming win for the South Africans.
Coach Khumalo said that she was pleased with how her team performed in their home leg, after the match’s conclusion.


“I am impressed with the second leg – We managed to play 90 minutes, we needed to see how to build this team,” said Khumalo. “In the first leg, it was about scoring away goals, but for the second leg, it was about how you play as a country. The buildup from the back is very important, and using our wingers to stretch the opponent, but I was impressed with most things.”


South Africa will now play Nigeria in the second round of the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers in April, with exact dates yet to be confirmed by CAF.
Khumalo says she and her team are well aware of how tough it will be to take on a team like Nigeria.
“We need to enforce the team for Nigeria and have a well-organised team. In terms of strength, we do have the youngest team, so we need six or seven players who are 17 years old, so that they can measure them in terms of their strength. Otherwise, I am looking forward to the leg, but for today, our team did well compared to the previous leg.”
South Africa Secure the Home and Away FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup First Leg Qualifiers against Gabon with a 21-2 Aggregate
Saturday, 11 January 2025: South Africa 12-1 Gabon, Franceville
Saturday 18 January 2025: South Africa 9-1 Gabon, Lucas Moripe Stadium
The SA U17 Women’s Starting XI against Gabon
1 Samkeliswe Mthembu (GK)
4 Sethabile Kamwande
19 Bonolo Mokoma
13 Busisiwe Mokoena
6 Okuhle Sithole
15 Ntokozo Paradzayi
10 Katleho Malebana (C)
11 Nomfundo Nzuza
12 Nobuhle Mdelwa
9 Thorisho Mphelo
7 Khwezi Khoza
Substitutes
Michaela Swarts
Akhona Simamane
Andiswa Zuma
Lilani Horak
Leonay Kock
Tania Mohale
Zinhle Mafumo (GK)
Main Photo Caption: Bantwana have qualified for the second round of the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, after securing a 9-1 win in the return leg of their qualifier against Gabon in Atteridgeville on Saturday. All Photos: SAFA
Photo 2 Caption: Thorisho Mphelo (pictured) driving the home effort, the SA U17 attack dominated their opposition, resulting in individual hat-tricks scored each sides of the break.
Photo 3 Caption: Nomfundo Nzuza (pictured) scored her hat-trick in the first half, before substitute Lilani Horak netted her three in the second half.