CECAFA
CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup: Eritrea fight back to hold Ethiopia 3-3
It was raining goals on either side as hosts Ethiopia and Eritrea today settled for a 3-3 draw in the opening tie of the CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup.
The Pool B game watched by over 15,000 spectators at the Bahir Dar Stadium kicked-off in style with each of the teams looking for an early lead.
Eritrean defender Nahom Tedesse Mekonen had his 5th minute shot miss the target before the home side reorganized and scored after 10 minutes. William Solomo Tesfae found the Eritrean defenders flat footed and made no mistake slotting the ball past the Eritrean goalkeeper Kibrom Solomon Haile.
But the Eritrean team started to show more dominance with skipper Robel Teklemichael in command in the heart of the midfield.
After missing three chances Eritrea’s Ali Suleiman Ibrahim leveled matters when he beat Ethiopia’s goalkeeper Tsiyon Merid Jimma with a low shot in the 38 minutes to make it 1-1. But Ethiopia made it 2-1 only three minutes later with a penalty converted by skipper Abubeker Nasir Ahmed.
But before the Ethiopian team could settle down after taking the lead Ali Suleiman Ibrahim was quick to score his second of the day when he chipped advancing goalkeeper Jimma.
The two teams intensified their search for more goals after the interval, but with Ethiopia showing more dominance.
But after 56 minutes Eritrea’s defence was caught flat footed again giving room for Abubeker Nasir Ahmed to restore Ethiopia’s lead. Ahmed who showed a lot of hunger in-front of goal shot past the advancing goalkeeper to make it 3-2.
After 72 minutes Eritrea were also handed a penalty. Ali Suleiman Ibrahim made sure he netted his third goal of the day when he sent the Ethiopian goalkeeper the wrong side to make it 3-3.
Ethiopia’s head coach Wubetu Abate said his players had put up a good show in the opening match. “We missed several scoring chances, but we shall try to correct our mistakes ahead of our next game against Burundi,” said Abate after the game.
Mekonen Zewde Abraha, the Eritrean coach said he was happy with the attitude his players showed to fight back and pick a draw. “We shall continue working hard to make sure we perform better in our next game,” he added.
Pool B
P W D L GA GA AD Pts
Eritrea 1 0 1 0 3 3 0 1
Ethiopia 1 0 1 0 3 3 0 1
Burundi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Kenya and Rwanda are the two members from the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Zone that have improved their ranking in the latest FIFA ranking released on April 4th, 2024.
Although Uganda remained static at 92nd in the world with 1242.15 points and top in the CECAFA Zone, Kenya climbed by four places to 107th place in the world ranking and second in the Zone with 1191.24 points.
Kenya’s improvement comes after their recent International friendly matches were they defeated hosts Malawi 4-0 and Zimbabwe 3-1 and went on to win the 4-Nations tournament.
Rwanda also improved by two places to 131st in the FIFA rankings and 5th in the CECAFA Zone with 1112.44 points. Tanzania remained static at 119th place and Sudan at 127 points.
Burundi who are placed sixth in the CECAFA Zone are ranked 140th, Ethiopia 145th, while South Sudan dropped by one place to 167th place. Djibouti and Somalia are lowly ranked at 192 and 199 respectively, while Eritrea is unranked.
FIFA rankings for CECAFA members
Uganda – 92
Kenya – 107
Tanzania – 119
Sudan – 127
Rwanda – 131
Burundi – 140
Ethiopia – 145
South Sudan – 167
Djibouti – 192
Somalia – 199
Eritrea – Unranked
Guest side Tanzania kick started their 2024 COSAFA Beach Soccer Championship on a losing note as the competition started today in Durban, South Africa.
Handled by coach Boniface Pawasa Tanzania suffered a 3-2 defeat to Angola in the opening Group B match played at the South Beach Arena.
In the second Group B match North African guests Morocco humbled 2021 winners Mozambique. 5-2
The competition organized by the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) also saw Malawi defeat hosts South Africa 4-2 and Seychelles, the 2025 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup hosts edge Saudi Arabia 3-1 in Group A matches played.
Action continues on Monday with several games, before a rest day on Tuesday. The top two sides from each group will advance to the semi -final stage to be played on March 22, while the final will take place the next day.
The Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) has opened the bidding process for Member Associations that will be in position to host any tournament in the Zone this year.
Yussuf Mossi, the CECAFA Competitions Director says the bidding process opened on February 1st, 2024 and ill close on February 16th.
He said the Competitions Committee chaired by Isayas Jira, also the President of the Ethiopia Football Federation (EFF) has sat in Nairobi, Kenya few days ago and drawn a competitions calendar for 2024.
Mossi made it clear that the four compulsory tournaments which will be staged include; AFCON U-17 Boys qualifiers, AFCON U-20 Boys qualifiers, CAF Women’s Champions League Zonal qualifiers and the Africa Schools Football Championships Zonal qualifiers. The CECAFA U-20 Girls Championship and the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup are the other two tournaments on the calendar.
CECAFA will announce the host Member Associations during the non elective General Assembly slated for February 23rd, 2024 in Mombasa, Kenya.
The Assembly had originally been scheduled to take place February 16th, but a change was made since all Presidents of Member Associations will be attending meetings in Abidjan, Ivory coast to end February 14th, 2024.
CECAFA tournaments for 2024
– AFCON U-17 Boys qualifiers
– AFCON U-20 Boys qualifiers
– CAF Women’s Champions League Zonal qualifiers
– Africa Schools Football Championships Zonal qualifiers.
– CECAFA U-20 Girls Championship
– CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup
The non-elective General Assembly of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) will take place on 16th, February, 2024 in Mombasa, Kenya.
Auka Gecheo, the CECAFA Executive Director on Tuesday communicated to all the 12 Member Associations about the development.
He noted that among other things the Assembly will receive, discuss and ratify the CECAFA competitions and the calendar for 2024/2025. Members of the Assembly will also receive and peruse the CECAFA financial report for the year 2023 among other things.
Among some of the competitions expected to take place in 2024 include the AFCON U-17 and AFCON U-20 Zonal qualifiers, the Zonal CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers, CECAFA Senior Women Championship and the Pan African Schools Football Championship Zonal qualifiers among others. Zanzibar hosted the last CECAFA General Assembly on 6th January, 2023.
The 12 CECAFA members include; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan and Zanzibar.
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