Accra, Feb. 24, GNA - The national U-17 Women's team, the Black Maidens have qualified to the final round of the qualifiers for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup without kicking a ball.

This follows the withdrawal of Egypt who were supposed to be their counterparts at the penultimate stage.

Information gathered by GNA Sports has it that the Egyptian Football Association communicated the withdrawal of the 'Lady Pharaohs' to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) last week.

The Maidens who drew a bye at the prelims were scheduled to host the Lady Pharaohs in the first leg clash in Accra on the weekend of 12-14 March and the return leg for Cairo in a fortnight's time. With the latest development, the Maidens will thus face the eventual winner of the DR Congo - Tunisia clash.

The first leg is slated for Accra on the weekend of 16-18 April with the final lap billed for Kinshasa in a fortnight. The winner of the two-legged encounter will qualify for the final tournament to be staged in Trinidad and Tobago from September 5 to September 25, 2010. Ghana and Nigeria represented Africa at the maiden edition held in New Zealand in 2008.