Uganda Cranes head coach Jonathan McKinstry will miss the last two crucial games of the Total Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers after he was asked to step aside from March 3-31^st.

Although the Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa) did not specify if McKinstry will be serving a suspension, his assistants will be in-charge when the Uganda Cranes face Burkina Faso and Malawi this month.

“The FUFA Executive Committee has asked the Head Coach of the Uganda Cranes Johnathan McKinstry to step aside from managing and coaching the team for the period from 2nd- 31st March 2021,” said a communication issued by the Federation on Tuesday night.

Fufa stated that in the absence of the head coach, assistant coaches Abdallah Mubiru, Livingstone Mbabazi and goalkeeper’s coach Fred Kajoba will take charge of the team. “FUFA will use the period to assess and monitor the performance of the team,” said the communication.

McKinstry, the former Rwanda and Sierra Leone coach became Uganda’s head coach in September 2019. He took over from Sebastien Desabre who stepped down after the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) that took place in Morocco.

Uganda Cranes are second in Group B of the Afcon qualifiers, but will need to be at their best in the last two games to make it back to Africa’s biggest football showpiece.

The Rising Stars of Kenya and South Sudan have qualified for the semi-final stage at the on-going Zonal Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) U-20 qualifiers in Tanzania.

Kenya kick started with a hard fought 2-1 victory against Sudan in a Group B match played at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha this afternoon.

Fortune Omoto gave the Kenyan team the lead, before Al Gozoti Nooh made it 1-1 before the interval. Benson Ochieng later netted his second goal of the tournament to make sure the Rising Stars picked maximum points.

Kenya finished the top of Group B with 6 points, and will now face Uganda Hippos in the first semi-final clash on Monday.

In the second game played at the same Stadium, South Sudan defeated Burundi 4-0 in a Group B match to storm the semi-final stage as the best loser. The South Sudan team who will now face Tanzania in the semi-final stage tied on 4 points with Uganda, but had lower goal difference margin than the Hippos.

Striker William Kundu and Khamis Atari gave South Sudan a 2-0 first half lead. Burundi’s Japhet Ntunzwenimana later netted an own goal before Philip Biajo made it 4-0.

The two teams that reach the final of the Zonal qualifier will automatically qualify for the Afcon U-20 to be played next year.

Kenya’s Rising Stars return to action this afternoon in their second Group C match at the on-going Zonal Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) U-20 qualifiers at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium, Arusha.

After registering a comfortable 3-0 win against Ethiopia, the Rising Stars are favourites to pick maximum points against a Sudan side that showed defensive challenges in their 3-2 loss to Ethiopia.

Kenya’s coach Stanley Okumbi said he expects his players to perform better against Sudan today than they did in the opening group match. “The boys gave a good account of themselves in the first match against Ethiopia, and I am confident that we can do even better tomorrow,” said coach Okumbi.

He will hope that Benson Omala, Ronald Reagan and Enock Wanyama who scored in the win against Ethiopia find their scoring touch again today.

Sudan who lost 2-1 to the Rising Star in a friendly match played in Nairobi few weeks ago will miss the services of head coach Mounir Lehbab who was sent off during the game against Ethiopia.

The second game at Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium will see Burundi battle South Sudan in a Group B clash. South Sudan opened their campaign with a goalless draw against Uganda Hippos, before Burundi suffered a 6-1 loss to Uganda.

After the group stages today, action will shift to the semi-final stage on Monday, while the final and play-off take place on December 2^nd. The best two teams will qualify for the Afcon U-20 to take place next year.

Hosts Tanzania have humbled Somalia 8-1 in a Group A match at the on-going zonal Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) U-20 qualifier on Thursday.

The comfortable win sent Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Heroes top of Group A with six points and straight to the semi-finals.

Skipper Kelvin Pius John who also plays for Leicester City Academy in England netted a hattrick to guide the home side to yet another big win.

Abdul Hamisi Suleiman gave Tanzania the lead three minutes into the game, before Sahal Muhumed made it 1-1 three minutes later.

The Ngorongoro Heroes showed more dominance scoring more goals through Ben Sarrkie, before Kelvin Pius John scored two goals to make it 4-0 at the interval.

After recess The Tanzanian team continued to attack in numbers before Kassim Haruna scored after 47 minutes to make it 5-1. Kelvin Pius John completed his hattrick with a goal in the 60^th minute. Frank George and substitute Anuar Jabir put the icing on the cake with two more goals.

Tanzania who started their campaign with a 6-1 win over Djibouti are now the highest scoring team in the tournament with 14 goals and two conceded. They will wait to face the best loser in the semi-final stage.