This week, we look at a recent intriguing trip taken by Tahiti of Oceania to play three international friendlies in Europe this month—among the plethora of friendly internationals in Europe and the Americas during the FIFA international window—ahead of their regional Oceania 2023 Women's World Cup Qualifier and regional championships this summer from July 5-31 for 11 members, with the format and host yet to be determined. We also look at the first leg of the second round matches for the 2023 Women's World Cup Qualifiers in Africa, ahead of the 12 team Women's Africa Cup of Nations Finals this summer (July 2-23) in Morocco.

Tahiti Goes to Europe for Three National Team Friendlies

Tahiti (ranked 104th among women's national teams in the latest FIFA—December 10, 2021—ranking) are touring Europe this month with three friendly matches scheduled, two against Luxembourg (ranked 118th and 47th out of 52 UEFA women's national teams) and one in Andorra (ranked 170th and last in Europe) ahead of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Women's Nations Cup Finals, which will be the 12th edition of the regional tournament and won by New Zealand six times—the last four in succession—and former Oceania members Australia (three times) and Chinese Taipei (twice). New Zealand is already through to the 2023 Women's World Cup Finals as co-host while the best-placed team in the Oceania tournament (other than New Zealand, if they should win again as expected) would go on to the Intercontinental Playoffs, along with nine teams from the other confederations competing for two last spots in the 2023 Finals. The tour is also notable because, with the exception of New Zealand who have been able to hold men's and women's matches overseas (the Football Ferns women are currently playing in the U.S. SheBelieves Cup) Oceania countries haven't been able to leave the region for matches since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 due to border restrictions. Tahiti's Head of Women's Football at the Fédération Tahitienne de Football Stéphanie Spielmann said that, with national team players based in France and one in America, the tour will be an important opportunity to get everyone together, "The team needs to leave Oceania to gain experience. This is a great opportunity for us to play against these two European countries. This will allow us to make progress and best target the areas to be worked on." Outside of the scheduled matches, the Tahiti team will also meet with local clubs and take part in cultural exchanges as part of the trip.

Note: In the upcoming few weeks, TribalFootball.com will talk with Trina Davis (20) of Fiji, the American-born forward who, as a high schooler, guided the team to the OFC Final last term, only to be blasted by New Zealand 8-0. Fiji defeated regional power Papua New Guinea 5-1 in the semifinals; PNG had finished second in the three previous editions and third in the four tournaments before that, behind both Australia and New Zealand. Davis recently turned professional and spent time in Israel and has been called into the national team program again this spring.

Member of Tahiti's national team at practice at home before their trip to much different weather conditions in Europe to play Luxembourg and Andorra in February 2022. (Photo courtesy of Federation Tahitienne de Football).

Tahiti, part of the overseas collective of French Polynesia, has strong roots to France as does New Caledonia, who hosted the last OFC Women's Nations Cup. On the men's side, Tahitian club teams have played in early rounds of the French Cup for years. This link is shown in their current side on tour, which is using seven players based with clubs in France and one from the States. The players in the roster (see below) that are in France are currently with AS Canejan (2), ES Mosheim – Ernosheim, Montpellier, Toulouse, Strasbourg and Lens. The California-born Delani Guyot played at Orange Coast Community College in the Greater Los Angeles area. Even for locally-based players, they have some distance to travel for camps in Tahiti as players for AS Jeunesse (two) and AS Team Fehiri (one) are in the Marquesas Islands, a 900-mile (3 hour) flight by plane to the capital city of Papette.

Tahiti fell 5-0 to Luxembourg on February 16 in Mamer. A second game between the two teams was held on in nearby Strasbourg in France three days later with Luxembourg winning 11-0 over the Oceania visitors.

This reporter has been closely covering the region in recent years and had extensive coverage in TribalFootball.com of the 2018 regional tournament that doubled as the 2019 Womens' World Cup Finals Qualifying tournament. It is a good thing to see an Oceania nation traveling to other confederations for friendly preparation matches. We wrote last month about Vietnam traveling to Spain for friendlies against second division club teams (which they did very well in) ahead of the 2022 Women's Asian Cup and ended up capturing a 2023 WWC spot for the first time, while the other debutants—the Philippines—spent over two months training in California, as half of their squad currently play in the U.S. The question becomes for Oceania teams is whether they play club teams on tour like Vietnam did or international teams and, if the latter, what level of opponent they choose to play. Clearly the reason for Tahiti choosing teams in the lower 10% of UEFA teams was to stay competitive and more productive than playing a France, Sweden or even a mid-tier team like Poland, Slovenia or Turkey. This experience, plus the use of players with clubs abroad, should be advantageous in their regional competition. Tahiti will learn a lot from the conditions—playing in cold conditions in Europe in February—the different style of play in Europe and other valuable lessons. Though COVID did damage to the island nations of Oceania over the past two years, the nations are putting more effort and resources into women's football. Long-time Wellington Phoenix player and former Barbadian international (originally born in Watford and who spent many years with Millwall) is now the women's national team coach of Samoa. We would like to see more teams travel and train ahead of the Oceania Finals this summer, even to New Zealand, Australia or Southeast Asia. We will continue to follow the preparations for as well as the Oceania Cup tournament later this year.

Tahiti's Women's National Team—Les Vahine Ura—are touring Europe ahead of the Oceania Coupe des Nations Finals Tournament this summer. (Photo courtesy of Federation Tahitienne de Football).

Andorra, Tahiti's final opponent early next week, plays rarely and won their second ever game in September 2021 by defeating Lichtenstein 4-2 away, with a hat-trick by Tere Morató who plays with Villarreal in Spain's Liga Iberdrola (second tier). Andorra's first win came in 2014 against Gibraltar 1-0. Morató (23) was the first Andorran to ever play in the Spanish First Division, last year with Rayo Vallecano, scoring four goals in 28 games. She previously played with ENFAF Credit Andorra, the only women's side in the country, who play in the Spanish fourth division. Zoe Montero, from Spain's Levante Las Planas, is expected to make her debut with the full national team this month and scored the winning goal in her country's U-19 national team 1-0 win over Moldova last October.

Ahead of the match against Tahiti. Andorra defeated Gibraltar (who have not played enough games for a FIFA ranking) 4-1 on February 16 at home. This was their first home game in over three years since a 2-0 loss to Luxembourg in November of 2018.

Women's Africa Cup of Nations

The first leg of second round matches for the TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations, which doubles as CAF 2023 WWC qualifiers, were scheduled for February 16-18, with the return legs on February 21-23. Morocco is through to the Finals as hosts and Kenya withdrew in January ahead of the matches, giving Uganda a berth in the twelve-team Finals this summer. Bizarrely, this week the Kenya government's sport caretaker committee tried to have the Hamarbee Starlets reinstated to play Uganda because their withdrawal was due to "suspected fraud" (by federation officials) since the government hadn't approve the request but CAF denied the petition. Kenya's Football Federation is under threat of suspension by FIFA because of the government's intervention in the sport's governing body in the country. It is sad as Kenya has been improving on the women's football side and made the Confederation Finals in 2016 in Cameroon for the only time.

First Leg Results

February 16 Matches

• Burundi 6– Djibouti 1(Stade Urukundo, Ngozi)
• Zambia 0 – Namibia 0 (Nkoloma Stadium, Lusaka)
• Guinea-Bissau 0 – Burkina Faso 4 (Estadio 24 de Setembro, Bissau)
• Senegal 1 – Mali 0 (Stade Lat-Dior, Thiès)

February 17 Matches

• ·Togo 2 – Gabon 1 (Stade de Kegué, Lomé)

February 18 Matches

• Zimbabwe 1 – Botswana 3 (National Sports Stadium, Harare)
• South Africa 2 – Algeria 0 (Orlando Stadium, Johannesburg)
• Tunisia 5 – Equatorial Guinea 0 (Stade de Solimane, Solimane)
• Cameroon 8 – Gambia 0 (Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé)
• Nigeria 2 – Côte d'Ivoire 0 (National Stadium, Abuja)

With the second leg to be played next week, Cameroon (with an 8-goal advantage), Burundi (a 6-goal advantage) and Tunisia (5 goals up) should be confident as they head to the Gambia, Djibouti and Equatorial Guinea, respectively for the away leg and should be home and dry for the Morocco Finals.

Burkina Faso has a healthy four goals advantage as they return home to face Guinea-Bissau and should also be through to the finals. Botswana also has an advantage (2 goals) as they return home after a 3-1 win in Harare.

Teams with narrow leads going into the return legs away include Senegal (1-0 over Mali), Togo (2-1 over Gabon) while South Africa and Nigeria travel with 2 goal advantages to Algeria and Cote d'Ivoire, respectively.

That leaves the one shocking result that we saw with the 0-0 tie at home for Zambia against Namibia. Zambia, Olympic Games Finalists last summer, was missing scoring star Barbra Banda (Shanghai Shengli of China) through injury while Rachel Kundananji (ED Eibar from Spain) and Zaragoza of Spain duo Hellen Mubanga and Racheal Nachula were not on the roster. The only other player based abroad that was on the squad besides Banda was Turkey-based midfielder Mizozi Zulu.

ZAMBIA SQUAD:

GOALKEEPERS: Hazel Nali (Unattached), Ng'ambo Musole (Zesco Ndola Girls), Catherine Musonda (Indeni Roses), Eunice Sakala (Nkwazi Queens), Aisha Mbwana (Green Buffaloes)

DEFENDERS: Fridah Nalwamba (Police Doves), Margaret Belemu, (Red Arrows), Judith Soko (YASA Queens), Patricia Lampi, Martha Tembo, Agness Musesa, Lushomo Mweemba (all Green Buffaloes), Margaret Mulenga (Lusaka Dynamos), Esther Siamfuko (Queens Academy)

MIDFIELDERS: Misozi Zulu (Hakkarigucu Spor FC -Turkey), Ireen Lungu (Green Buffaloes), Elizabeth Mupeso, Thandiwe Nkhata, Naomi Phiri (Lusaka Dynamos), Esther Banda (BUSA), Mary Wilombe, Milika Limwanya (both Red Arrows), Marjory Mulenga (Zesco Ndola Girls), Evarine Susan Katongo (Luyando Girls Foundation)

STRIKERS: Lungowe Namasiku (ZISD), Barbra Banda (Shanghai Shengli), Grace Chanda, Ochumba Oseke Lubanji (both Red Arrows), Xiomala Mapepa (Lusaka Dynamos), Eneless Phiri (Police Doves), Theresa Chewe, Maylan Mulenga (both Green Buffaloes)

Namibia countered with their wonderful attacking player and team captain. Zenatha Coleman (28), who has played in Lithuania, for Zaragoza, Valencia and Sevilla in Spain and now with Fenerbahce in Turkey, where she has 5 goals in 3 games. She scored five goals in the last round helping her nation defeat Tanzania. Defender Veweziwa Kotjipati (29) has been playing minor division ball in Germany, which has strong historical ties to the nation. Defender Lovisa Mulunga was also called in from Albany State University (Georgia) in the States. If Namibia can win their home match—held in neighboring South Africa (Johannesburg)—they would advance to the finals for the first time since they were hosts in 2014.

Togo used a goal from Ami Reine Gake in the 29th minute to take the lead over Gabon, who evened the match through Jessy Ornella Mezui Obiang's header from Vanessa Mazaly's free kick in the 59th minute. Odette Gnintegma scored Togo's winner on the brink of full time and ensured the Female Sparrowhawks went to Libreville with 2-1 advantage. Gabon used primarily a home-based side.

Burundi defeated Djibouti 6-2 in Ngozi with braces by Rukiya Bizimana and Sandrine Niyonkuru's. Burundi seems a shoe-in for their first ever African Women's Finals berth, while Djibouti has also never made the Finals.

Senegal won 1-0 in Thiels over Mali with Nguenar Ndiaye's (ASF Grand Yoff at home) 73rd minute goal. Senegal brought in six players from Europe, including four France-based players (Safiétou Sagna, Nguennar Ndiaye and Meta Camara) from Bourges and Astou Ngom from Cherbourg. Two more came in late from abroad: Mama Diop and Ndeye Awa Diakhaté, to supplement the local players called into the squad:

1. NDEYE MEISSA DIAW, Lycée Ameth Fall St-Louis
2. TENNING SENE AFA, Grand Yoff de Dakar
3. THIABA GUEYE SENE, Eagles of the Medina of Dakar
4. KHADY FAYE, US Parcelles Assainie Dakar
5. NDIEME LO, Eagles of the Medina of Dakar
6. NDEYE NDIAYE KANE, AFA Grand Yoff of Dakar
7. MAME DIARRA DIOUF, US Parcelles Assainie Dakar
8. MATY CISSOKHO, US Parcelles Assainie Dakar
9. MBAYANG SOW, US Parcelles Assainie Dakar
10. SALIMATA NDIAYE , Lycée Ameth Fall of St-Louis
11. ANTA DEMBELE, US Parcelles Assainies Dakar
12. AMINATA KANTE, Eagles of the Medina Dakar
13. FATOUMATA DRAMA, Kaolack FC
14. JEANNETTE DOMINIQUE SAGNA, Dakar Sacré Coeur
15. KORKA FALL, Eagles of the Medina Dakar
16. ADJAW EDMEE ONESIMA DIAGNE, Lycée Ameth Fall of St-Louis
17. BINETA KORKEL SECK, Dakar Sacré Coeur
18. MAREME BABOU, US Parcelles Assainie Dakar
19. JEANNE COUMBA NIANG, Eagles of the Medina Dakar
20. HABSATOU MALADO DIALLO, US Parcelles Assainies Dakar
21. GLADYS IRENE DACOSTA, US Sanitized Plots Dakar
22. FANTA SY, Dakar Sacred Heart
23. ASTOU SY, Dakar Sacred Heart
24. HABY BALDE, US Parcelles Assainies Dakar

Mali's roster included nine players based in France (with AS Cannes, AJ Auxerre, Ruel Malmaisson (2), VGA St. Maur, Monaco, Orleans, Guingamp, and Nimes, with three playing in Morocco (Al Itihad Tanger, Chabab Atlas Khenifra and Chabab Atlas) and one in Turkey (Fatih Karagumruk)—see roster below.

The Gambia Queen Scorpions is participating in the TotalEnergies Women's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers for only the second time. During their debut appearance in the qualification campaign, they reached the last round of qualifying for Ghana 2018, where they lost to eventual champions Nigeria.

Head coach Mariama Sowe, said before the second round matches, "The captain Penda Bah is in town [she plays in the Nigerian Women's League] and we're expecting to have Adama Tamba [who moved to Grenoble of the French Second Division on loan this season from Gambia's Red Scorpions] before we travel, which will boost the morale of the girls. With their experience, I know they can help the team because Adama is the all-time leading goal scorer for The Gambia women's national team, while Penda Bah is the captain and a key player of the team, so both of them are used to the team."

The Gambia Football Federation and the Queen Scorpions head coach was aggressively trying to find players of Gambian descent in other nations to play for the team. Swedish-based forward Ida Mbaye (21) is one of the players called up recently and she plays in Gothenburg in Sweden and said about her call-up, "It's motivating because it's fun to have a good competition as well, so it would be exciting to meet them and, I think it would drive the girls even more to win the game. Another Gambian from Europe is Haleema Hamilton Froiland, who was born in Switzerland to a Gambian mother and now plays with FC Luzern of the Swiss Women's Super League (AWSL).

Nigerian Women's National Team Head Coach Randy Waldrum brought in 35 players to the camp to prepare for the qualifiers against Cote d'Ivoire. To reach this stage, nine-time African champions Nigeria edged the Black Queens of Ghana 2-1 on aggregate in October 2021. Waldrum has a number of players with clubs abroad, including three in Israel and one in Mexico—Uchenne Kanu of Tigres—who has been one of the success stories for imports in the country's women's league, which were allowed for the first time this season. Note: We will talk more about her later this month when we discuss the imports who have joined the Liga MX Femenil.

Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Tochukwu Oluehi (Maccabi Kishronot Hadera, Israel); Christy Ohiaeriaku (Sunshine Queens); Yewande Balogun (USA)

Defenders: Rofiat Imuran (Rivers Angels); Glory Ogbonna (Santa Teresa FC, Spain); Onome Ebi (Minsk FC, Belarus); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Ayomide Ojo (Edo Queens); Ashleigh Plumptre (Leicester City, England); Joy Duru (Nasarawa Amazons); Nicole Payne (West Virginia University, USA); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens)

Midfielders: Peace Efih (Kiryat Gat, Israel); Yetunde Aluko (WFC Ramat Hasharon, Israel); Amanda Mbadinuju (Bayelsa Queens); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna FC, Sweden); Grace Igboamalu (Bayelsa Queens); Toni Oyedupe Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Regina Otu (Minsk FC, Belarus); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain); Amarachi Okoronkwo (Nasarawa Amazons); Deborah Abiodun (Rivers Angels)

Forwards: Esther Okoronkwo (AS Saint Etienne, France); Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Desire Oparanozie (Dijon FC, France); Vivian Ikechukwu (Rivers Angels); Gift Monday (FC Robo Queens); Juliet Bassey (Bayelsa Queens); Ifeoma Onumonu (NY/NJ Gotham FC, USA); Uchenne Kanu (Tigres Femenil, Mexico); Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain)

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis named 24 players for South Africa's second round matches with Algeria. South Africa lost a friendly match 3-0 on February 12 against Zambia in Lusaka. Coach Ellis has brought in eight overseas based players joining the team that travelled to Zambia, for a total of nine based abroad for the important qualifier. The squad consists of a few changes with youngster Asanda Radebe (Sunflower FC) re-joining the team as a replacement for the injured Noxolo Cesane (who has played in the Western Cape Sasol League for Cape Town Roses and spent time with East Tennessee State University in the States.

Banyana Banyana 24-woman squad to face Algeria

Goalkeepers:

• Andile Dlamini (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
• Kaylin Swart (JVW FC)
• Regirl Ngobeni (University of Western Cape)

Defenders:

• Lebogang Ramalepe (Dinamo Minsk, Belarus)
• Karabo Dhlamini (Oakland University, USA)
• Antonia Maponya (University of Western Cape)
• Koketso Tlailane (Tshwane University of Technology)
• Janine Van Wyk (JVW FC)
• Tiisetso Makhubela (Tshwane University of Technology)
• Bambanani Mbane (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
• Noko Matlou (SD Eibar, Spain)

Midfielders:

• Refiloe Jane (AC Milan, Italy)
• Nomvula Kgoale (Parquesol CD, Italy)
• Linda Motlhalo (Djurgarden, Sweden)
• Thalea Smidt (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)
• Mamello Makhabane (JVW FC)
• Kholosa Biyana (Sporting de Gijon, Spain)
• Robyn Moodaly (JVW FC)
• Gabriela Salgado (JVW FC)

Forwards:

• Sibulele Holweni (University of Western Cape)
• Asanda Hadebe (Sunflower FC)
• Thembi Kgatlana (Atletico Madrid, Spain)
• Hildah Magaia (Moron BK, Sweden)
• Melinda Kgadiete (Mamelodi Sundowns FC)

Defender Karabo Dhlamini is playing at Division 1 Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan (a suburb of Detroit) and captained South Africa at the 2018 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup in Uruguay in 2018. She was also with the national team at their Women's World Cup debut in France in 2019 and scored 3 goals from the back in 20 games at Oakland U. in 2021.

A surprise omission from Ellis' squad was forward Ode Fulutudilu (32), who plays at Glasgow City in Scotland and scored in a 2-0 win against Celtic on February 10. Glasgow City is second in the league with 41 points—two points behind leaders Glasgow Rangers (43 points with a game in hand) while Glasgow Celtic is third on 36 points. Fulutudilu also played on the 2019 WWC side in France and has played for clubs in South Africa, Spain and Finland. Letago Madiba (30), who is playing well in Turkey with Fatih Vatansport, could also be one brought in for a camp before the Finals if they make it to Morocco.

Desiree Ellis said after her team's 2-0 first leg win over Algeria, about the return leg away, "They are two-nil down, they will be different [in the second leg]. We have to make sure we don't concede because we will always create the chances. If they do open the game up, the speed of our players up front and the quick rotation of the ball would create more openings. If we keep a clean sheet and score the first goal then you can say the tie is almost over."

In Tunisia's 5-0 win over Equatorial Guinea Mariem Houij from ALG Spor in Turkey has been playing very well at the club level, scoring 14 goals in 9 games so far this season. Equatorial Guinea's Jade Boko Sayo (35 and originally born in Spain) has four goals with Servette, who are on track to win their second consecutive league title in Switzerland and made it to the Round of 16 this season in their first ever European Champions League campaign.

Tim Grainey is a contributor to Tribal Football. His latest book Beyond Bend it Like Beckham on the global game of women's football. Get yours copy today.

Follow Tim on Twitter: @TimGrainey