NEWS
Burundi to face Kenya in CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup semi final
Coach Jimmy Ndayizeye’s Burundi team has qualified for the semi-final stage where they will face the Kenya Emerging Stars in the semi-final at the on-going CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup in Ethiopia.
Burundi fought from a goal down to hold the hosts Ethiopia to a 1-1 draw at the Bahir Dar International Stadium on Friday afternoon.
Ethiopia’s skipper Abubeker Nasir Ahmed and William Solomon Tesfaye kept the Burundi defenders busy for most of the first 30 minutes, but they failed to get an early goal.
After 40 minutes Burundi’s Asman Ndikumana had a clear chance, but headed wide from a well taken free kick. The Burundian defenders later failed to clear their lines to give Beshal Gugsa Chernet chance to slot the ball past goalkeeper Onesime Rukundo.
In the second half Burundi made some changes which eventually paid off when they leveled matters after 65 minutes. Defender Issa Hakizimana jumped high to nod in Ismail Nshimirimana’s well taken corner kick.
Ethiopia continued to push forward to try and find the winning goal, but failed to break the Burundian defenders who made several timely clearances.
As the Burundi team progresses to the semi final stage, hosts Ethiopia will have to wait for the results in the other groups to progress if they come out as second best. Burundi will now wait to face Kenya who topped Pool C with six points from two wins.
“It has been a very tough game and Ethiopia kept us under a lot of pressure. But I am glad we managed to get the draw and progress to the semi finals,” said Burundi’s coach Ndayizeye.
Wubetu Abate, the Ethiopian coach blamed it on failing to take their chances. “We created so many chances and failed to take them,” said a disappointed Abate.
Pool B final table standing
P W D L GF GA GD Pts
Burundi 2 1 1 0 4 1 3 4
Ethiopia 2 0 2 0 4 4 0 2
Eritrea 2 0 1 1 3 6 -3 1
Two teams from the CECAFA Zone Rwanda and Sudan have collected wins in the group stage of the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The Amavubi saw off Liberia 3-1 in a Group K match played at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Friday evening.
Playing in-front of the Football loving President Paul Kagame, Abeddy Biramahire gave the hosts the lead after onlyt two minutes to send the fans cheering.
Joy-Lance Michels netted his first goal in national colours with a second goal after 33 minutes. But the visitors pulled one back through Sylvanus Nimely five minutes later.
Rwanda were awarded a penalty before the interval, and the FK Shabah striker Joy-Lance Micheals made no mistake from the spot. The were no goals in the second half.
In another match played on Friday, in a battle of CECAFA teams Sudan edged Ethiopia in a Group J match played at the Juba National Stadium in South Sudan. Mohamed Mamoun Eisa netted the lone goal late in the second half.
South Sudan, Somalia and Burundi suffered away defeats in ohter matches played on Friday. South Sudan lost 2-1 to Malawi in Group B tie, while Somalia also lost 2-1 away to The Gambia. Burundi fell 1-0 to Togo in a match played at the Regue Stadium in Lome.
On Thursday Uganda Cranes picked a point away to Tunisia after a 1-1 draw in the Group H match, while Tanzania suffered a 2-0 defeat to Guinea Bissau in a Group L match played at the New Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
Kenya will host Eritrea in a Group D match in Nairobi on Saturday.
CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations
Sudan edge Tanzania in penalty shoot-outs to win AFCON U-20 qualifiers
Sudan are the winners of the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) CECAFA qualifiers.
The Sudan team stunned hosts Tanzania in the final played at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Thursday evening.
After an explosive 90 minutes that ended goalless, the match went to an extra 30 minutes of play.
Sudan went off the blocks first with Omer Hamd headlining home after 93 minutes.
But the Ngorongoro Boys cheered on by the home fans fought back strongly and leveled matters after 112 minutes through Abdulnassir Abdallah. In the penalty shoot-outs Sudan edged Tanzania 4-3.
It was all celebrations for the Sudan team who also qualified for the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after 13 years of waiting.
“This has been a successful mission for us and I thank my boys for the good job. We qualified for U-20 AFCON and now we have lifted the Cup,” said Sudan’s happy coach Salaheldin Ahmed Nuoreldin Ahmed.
In an earlier play-off match Uganda defeated Burundi 2-0. Derrick Ssozi and Ashraf Kyakuwa netted the goals to guide Uganda to win bronze.
The Zonal qualifiers attracted nine teams; Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Djibouti.
Mazin Fadul Albahli Taour has said winning the Best player’s Award in the Zonal AFCON U-20 qualifiers has excited him.
The Sudan player was voted Best Player of the AFCON U-20 CECAFA qualifiers which ended on September 24th at the Unhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Mazin Fadul played a pivotal role helping Sudan edge Tanzania in penalties 4-3 in the final after the match had ended 1-1.
“This Award has really excited me and I will continue to work even harder. It is very good to see Sudan qualify for the AFCON U-20 after over ten years,” said the player.
Tanzania’s Shaban Bakari was voted Best Goalkeeper, while Burundi’s Amini Nshimirimana scooped the Top scorer’s Award after netting four goals.
While Sudan picked gold and a trophy, Tanzania settled for silver, while Uganda bagged bronze. Tanzania also scopped the Fair Play Trophy.
Wallace Karia, the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) President and CAF Executive Member, TFF Vice President Athumani Nyamlani, Sudan Football Association (SFA) Head of Delegation Mohamed Abdalla Magzoub and CECAFA Interim Executive Director Jean Sseninde graced the Awards ceremony.
Tanzania have qualified for the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)
The Ngorongoro Boys secured their place after humbling Burundi 2-0 in the second semi-final match of the CECAFA Zonal qualifiers played at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.
Juma Abushiri gave Tanzania the lead after 17 minutes after Burundi’s goalkeeper Omari Niyonkuru failed to punch away a curving ball off a corner kick.
The Burundi team who won all their two matches in the group stage tried to push forward, but the Tanzanian defenders stood firm.
Tanzania increasing their lead after Faraji Kayanda got his name on the score sheet after 33 minutes when he tapped in from close range after a quick counter attack.
After recess, the Burundi team made a switch to their tactical approach and started creating more scoring opportunities. Tanzania’s goalkeeper Shabani Bakari made some good saves to deny Burundi any opportunity to find goals.
Tanzania now join Burundi in the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as representatives from the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Zone. The two teams will face-off on Thursday to decide who wins the regional title.
The regional qualifiers attracted nine teams; Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Burundi, South Sudan, Djibouti, Kenya and Rwanda.
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