CECAFA SENIOR CHALLENGE CUP: Eritrea, Somalia pick vital wins

Eritrea and Somalia have picked vital wins at the on-going CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup in Kampala, Uganda. The national team of Eritrea stopped Djibouti in the first Group A match played at the StarTimes Stadium on Friday before Somalia also brushed aside Burundi 1-0.

Abreham Isayas gave the Eritrea the lead after 10 minutes. The Djibouti team tried to defend in numbers but the highly passing Eritrean side continued to dominate the Group A match.

Ali Suleiman netted two second goals to send Eritrea to six points on the log and second behind Uganda who have already qualified for the semi finals.

“I am very happy that after losing to Uganda in our last game my boys came all out today well motivated and played good football. Our target is to reach the final of this tournament,” said Eritrean coach Efrem Haile Alemseghed.

In the second game Omar Abdulahi netted a 40^th minute goal for Somalia.

On Saturday defending champions Kenya will take on Zanzibar, whole Sudan face Tanzania in Group B matches. The semi finals will be played on December 17^th and the final two days later.

Group A table standing

P     W     D     L      GF     GA     A    Pts

Uganda      3      3      0      0      6        1        5     9

Eritrea        3      2      0      1      4       2       2      6

Djibouti      3      1      1      1      2       4      -2      4

Somalia      3      1      1      1       1       2      -1      4

Burundi     4      0      0      4      2      6      -4      0