TANZANIA’S Twiga Stars have dropped three positions in the latest FIFA women’s rankings released in Zurich, Switzerland on Thursday.
The Stars are now 124th in the world after collecting 940 points. They trail 104th placed Ethiopia, who top the CECAFA group. Three other teams in the ground – Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda – are all in 138th position.
Tanzania’s opponents in the 2015 All-Africa Games qualifiers, Zambia, are placed 118th after dropping four places from last month’s standings.
Twiga Stars thrashed the She-polopolo 4-2 in the first leg match in Lusaka last weekend. Nigeria’s Super Falcons retained their coveted position as Africa’s best women side and 33rd in the world.
Incidentally, the reigning African champions are the only African side mentioned in the top 50 ranked countries. World champions Germany topped the FIFA ranking for the month of March while former world champions and Super Falcons group’s opponents at the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada, USA, came second and France, Japan and Sweden finished as third, fourth and fifth best sides respectively.
Falcons’ other opponents, Australia, were listed as the top 10 ranked country in the world. Ghana are Africa’s second best side and 52nd in the world and Cameroon third best in Africa and 53 in the world while Equatorial Guinea, South Africa and Ivory Coast are fourth, fifth and sixth in Africa and ranked 55th, 60th and 67th in the world respectively.
Algeria are the seventh ranked African side and 79th in the world and Morocco as eighth in Africa and 80th in the world while Tunisia are ninth in Africa and 81st in the world. Senegal are the tenth ranked African side and 91st in the world in the latest FIFA ranking released on Thursday.
Falcons’ opponents for a spot at the upcoming All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville, Mali are outside the top ten in Africa and 97th in the world.
The African champions, who are ranked below their World Cup opponents, USA, Sweden and Australia, will need to play high profile matches to chance better ranking in subsequent months heading to the global football showpiece in Canada. The World Cup hosts, Canada, were ranked eighth best side in the world.