{"id":15589,"date":"2026-10-09T12:56:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T12:56:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tewnet.com\/index\/?p=15589"},"modified":"2026-10-09T12:56:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T12:56:54","slug":"ethiopia-women-beat-rwanda-olympic-qualifier-loza-abera","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tewnet.com\/index\/15589","title":{"rendered":"Ethiopia’s Women Beat Rwanda 1-0 in Kigali as Loza Abera Joins for the Second Leg"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ethiopia’s national women’s football team, known at home as Lucy, beat Rwanda 1-0 in Kigali on Wednesday, October 7. The game was the first leg of a second-round qualifier for the women’s football tournament at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The two teams meet again on Tuesday, October 13, in Ethiopia. Soccer Ethiopia<\/a> reports the game will be in Dire Dawa, while Rwandan media have named Addis Ababa.<\/p>\n

The only goal came in stoppage time at the end of the first half at Kigali Pel\u00e9 Stadium. According to Soccer Ethiopia<\/a>, Senaf Wakuma passed the ball to Mihret Ayele on the right, and Mihret played a low cross toward Nigist Bekele. The Rwanda defender Lydia Uzayisenga then turned the ball into her own net.<\/p>\n

The New Times<\/a>, a Rwandan newspaper, said Ethiopia controlled the midfield for long periods. In the 77th minute, a shot from outside the penalty area went just over the Rwandan crossbar, and a minute later a header went wide. Rwanda made several attacking changes in the second half, but the home team could not score against the Ethiopian defense, the paper reported.<\/p>\n

Ethiopia also had to change goalkeepers during the first half. In the 34th minute, Tarikua Bergena was hurt in a collision with a Rwandan player as she tried to save the ball. Betelhem Yohannes replaced her, Soccer Ethiopia reported.<\/p>\n

Loza Abera Joins the Squad<\/h2>\n

\"Ethiopia<\/p>\n

Ethiopia striker Loza Abera, number 30, at a DC Power FC game against Brooklyn FC in Brooklyn, New York, August 21, 2026 (Hameltion \/ Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0) [file photo]<\/em><\/p>\n

The striker Loza Abera has arrived in Addis Ababa to join the team for the second leg, Soccer Ethiopia reported on Thursday. She plays in the United States for DC Power FC<\/a>, which signed her again in July for a third season. The club says she holds the record for the most goals in the history of the Ethiopian Women’s Premier League.<\/p>\n

Loza was called up before the first leg, but she did not join the team. Soccer Ethiopia<\/a> said her club did not release her in time, and the long trip would also have left her tired. She will travel to Dire Dawa together with the rest of the squad, the website said.<\/p>\n

Two other players who play abroad joined earlier. Senaf Wakuma of Simba Queens and Mesay Temesgen of Young Africans both play in the Tanzanian women’s league. They joined the team on October 4, according to Soccer Ethiopia<\/a>.<\/p>\n