NEWS
It’s D-Day for CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup semi finals in Ethiopia
After battling through the group stages four teams will this afternoon be all out to prove a point at the semi final stage of the CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup.
The first game will see Tanzania face surprise package South Sudan, and later Burundi will take on Kenya’s Emerging Stars at the Bahir Dar Stadium, Ethiopia.
Kim Poulsen, the Tanzania coach has made it clear that they will not underrate the South Sudan team because they are a physical team that is also good at passing the ball. “We must approach this semi final match with a lot of caution and also take our chances,” added Poulsen.
The Tanzanian team will however miss the suspended first choice goalkeeper Boniface Mnata Metacha who accumulated two yellow cards in their group games where they beat DR Congo 1-0 and drew 1-1 with Uganda.
For the South Sudan team that scored late goals to beat Djibouti 2-0 in their last group game to make it to the knock out stage, they will hope that Dominic Angelo Kornello and Aluk Akeck Mabior find their scoring touch again.
South Sudan’s head coach Simon James Yor made it clear that although the Tanzanian team is good on the ball, his team will use a strategy which will tame their opponents. “We also need to be sharp at goal because this is a knock out stage,” added the coach.
The second semi final match pitting the highest scoring teams in the tournament promises to be a thriller. Paul Reagan Otieno and Benson Ochieng Oluoch will be determined to continue with their scoring form for the Kenyan team that has also not conceded a goal yet. “We have had enough time to rest and also prepare for the semi final. I have watched Burundi play and they are not an easy side,” said Kenya’s coach Stanley Khayo Okumbi.
Kenya started their campaign with a 3-0 win against Djibouti, before stopping South Sudan 2-0. The Burundi team humbled Eritrea 3-0 and settled for a 1-1 draw against hosts Ethiopia.
Burundi’s coach Jimmy Ndayizeye made it clear that playing at the semi final stage is good for his young players. “I am happy that we are at the semi final stage. We are going to approach this game with a lot of caution to defend well and also try to take our chance at goal,” added Ndayizeye.
Tomorrow action will shift to the classification matches with Ethiopia facing DR Congo to determine which team will be ranked seventh and eighth, while Eritrea battle Uganda in a fifth and sixth ranking match. The tournament will come to climax on July 30th.
Sudan Premier League side Al Hilal are out of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Coach Florent Ibenge’s team lost 1-0 in their quarter final return leg against Al Ahly played at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
The Egyptian giants qualified on a 2-0 goal aggregate having won the first leg 1-0.
After a goalless first half, Al Hilal piled lots of pressure, but failed to find the goals. Ali Abdalla came close after 63 minutes, but Al Ahly goalkeeper Taher Muhamed was quick to block the ball.
It was Emam Ashour who netted the lone goal for Al Ahly against the run of play after 80 minutes. against the run of play
Al Hilal’s defeat marked the end of a team from the CECAFA Zone in the competition. Another Egyptian side Pyramids also sailed through to the semi-final stage on a 4-3 goal aggregate.
Former champions Mamelodi Sundowns also made it through, while Orlando Pirates who carry a 1-0 advantage against MC Alger are yet to play the second leg.
The Uganda Cubs will wait to tussle it out for a place for the FIFA U-17 World Cup via the play-offs.
Uganda’s second defeat at the on-going TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Sunday night to Zambia meant the CECAFA side can only qualify through the play-off.
Going into the match Uganda needed to defeat Zambia to look a place in the quarter final and also secure direct qualification to the FIFA U-17 World Cup. But the COSAFA team defeated Uganda 2-1 in Group A match played at the El Arbi Zaouli Stadium, Casablanca, Morocco.
The Junior Chipolopolos scored after 20 minutes through Kelvin Mulenga Chipelu, but Uganda equalized through defender Elvis Torach four minutes after the break.
Substitute Billy Daka made amends after 86 minutes to put Zambia ahead after his penalty had been stopped by the Ugandan Cubs goalkeeper earlier in the second half.
Brian Ssenyondo, Uganda’s coach said that they will now focus on preparing for the play-off next weekend. Uganda will face the third placed team in Group C.
In another Group A match played on Sunday, hosts Morocco stopped Tanzania 3-0. It was Tanzania’s third straight defeat in the on-going competition.
Somalis will return to action on Monday when they face reigning champions Senegal, while The Gambia take on Tunisia in the other match.
The top 10 teams at the U-17 AFCON which ends on April 19th will qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar as the CAF representatives.
Somalia suffered a second defeat at the on-going TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
After falling 3-0 to Tunisia in their opening Group C match, Somalia suffered a 5-1 loss to The Gambia in a match played at the Ben M’Hamed ElAbdi Stadium on Friday.
Alieu Drammeh netted a hat-trick for The Gambia, while Bisenty Mendy netted another. Somalia’s Liban Kalif Mohamed also scored an own goal at the stroke of half time. Anas Isse Mohamed scored Somalia’s only goal.
Although they still have a match against Senegal, Somalia have failed to progress to the next stage of the competition. They join another CECAFA team Tanzania that has already lost two matches to Zambia and Uganda in Group A.
The top 10 teams at the U-17 AFCON will qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar as the CAF representatives.
Already Burkina Faso who have picked two wins in Group B have secured a place for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. CECAFA reigning champions Uganda Cubs who lost 5-0 to Morocco and beat Tanzania 3-0 will be hoping that they secure a win against Zambia to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Uganda Cubs have stopped a 10-man Tanzania 3-0 in their second Group B match at the on-going TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
Smarting from a big 5-0 defeat to hosts Morocco, the Cubs were a different side at the El Bachir Stadium, Mohammedia.
The two teams missed some good scoring chances in the first half that ended goalless. Although Tanzania dominated play in the first half, they had 4 shots at goal against Uganda’s 10.
After recess Simon Wanyama gave Uganda the lead after 64 minutes. The goal came ten minutes after Tanzania’s Hussein Ally Mbegu had been sent-off by the referee from Lominson Todihajaniaina.
The Ugandan team continued to push forward and made it 2-0 after 85 minutes when Richard Okello found space and shot past Tanzania’s goalkeeper Abrahman Nassoro.
In the second minute of added time Uganda earned a penalty, and James Bogere made no mistake sending the Tanzanian goalkeeper the wrong way to make it 3-0.
Brian Ssenyondo, the Uganda Cubs coach said he was happy with the way his team responded after they lost the opening match to Morocco. “We have been highly attacking today and now we must go back and prepare for the match against Zambia,” added Ssenyondo.
The win brightens Uganda Cubs’ chances of qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. On Friday Somalia who lost the opening match 3-0 to Tunisia will return to action in a Group C match against The Gambia.
The top 10 teams at the U-17 AFCON will qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar as the CAF representatives.
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