Race for Final slot up for grabs
BEIRA(FIBA U16 Women’s African Championship 2017) – It is Semi-Finals day in Beira as Angola and Egypt as well as hosts Mozambique and Mali battle it out for a place in the Final of the FIBA U16 Women African Championship.
Egypt boasts of a 4-0 win ratio over the Angolans and will be coming into this tie with confidence and precision.
The North Africans defeated Angola 56-43 in the preliminary stage of this tournament and will be looking to replicate their performance in that tie.
However, Angola will be looking to end their jinx against Egypt and indeed head coach Elisa Pires believes that her side can register a positive result and go on to qualify for the all-important Final.
“We want to begin a new chapter against Egypt in the Semi-Final because we have never beaten them at this competition. However, we have reason to believe that we have made the necessary corrections to stand a chance to beat them.”
Reigning champions Mali, who completed the preliminary stage with an impressive 4-0 run, will take on hosts Mozambique.
Having won the last four editions, Mali are the favourites to win against the home side that managed just one win out of four games prior to this encounter.
Mozambique on the other side understand the challenge ahead and head coach Lucilia Caetano admitted that, “It is a tall order but we have a job to do.”
Her counterpart from Mali Sidiya Oumarou emphasized that his side is in Beira to defend their crown and extend their dominance to five straight trophies since the inception of the biennial tournament in 2009.
FIBA
