NEWS
CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup: What the coaches say after the group stage
The CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup group stage climaxed on July 24th with nine matches played in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The coaches had this to say.
Kim Poulsen (Head Coach, Tanzania)
We are very happy to qualify for the semi finals because our preparations were close to zero since the Tanzania Premier League has just ended. We were also in a very tough group and we surely battled strongly to make it to the next stage.
I think Uganda also deserved to be in the semi final because they play well. We shall not underrate our opponents South Sudan who we face in the semi final. We shall have to approach the semi final match very differently.
Morley Byekwaso (Head Coach, Uganda)
I thank the boys because for the fighting spirit they have showed in the two matches. We created several scoring chances in this tournament, but did not use them well. But it’s a good experience for my young team as we still have two more classification matches.
We need to prepare our teams for the future and this tournament is good to try out players.
Julien Mette (Head Coach, Djibouti)
Ofcourse it is not good to see us failing to win or even score a single goal. But I am happy that the young players have got more exposure from the two matches we played against Kenya and South Sudan. It is from such matches that players get more experience and can be able to improve.
Simon James Yor (Head Coach, South Sudan)
Qualifying for the semi final is very good for my players because it means they have more competitive matches to play and this will help them to develop and become better players. We know the Tanzanian team that we face in the semi final is strong, but we shall prepare well for them.
Wubetu Abate Wubetu (head Coach, Ethiopia)
I am not happy with the way my players played the two group games where we picked draws. We need to improve as a team to take our chances and always shoot at goal instead of holding onto the ball and lack that final finish. But the tournament is good for testing and improving our young players.
Jimmy Ndayizeye (Head Coach, Burundi)
I am impressed with the concentration of my players and we hope they can keep focused for the game against Kenya. We have brought some of our young players from Europe to be tested in this tournament and am happy with the progress. Facing Kenya will not be easy because they have showed they are strong by winning their two games in the pool.
Jean Claude Loboko (Head Coach, DR Congo)
Although we failed to qualify for the semi finals, we are happy that the young players are getting the much needed experience from this tournament. Yes we have been good at creating many scoring chances, but finishing remains our problem.
Stanley Khayo Okumbi (Head Coach, Kenya)
Five goals and two wins makes us happy as the technical bench. But we need to tune out minds and prepare well ahead of the tough match against Burundi. Although we have won all our two games in the group stage, I believe we still have to improve on some aspects.
Yohannes Tesfay Giday (Assistant Coach, Eritrea)
Although we failed to win a single game in the group stage, this has been a good outing for the players. We shall try to field players who have not got a lot of playing time in the remaining two classification matches.
Hosts Uganda and Somalia have qualified for the semi-final stage at the on-going TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) – CECAFA qualifiers.
Somalia, the 2022 Zonal champions needed a late goal to see off Sudan 1-0 in Group B tie played at the Nakivubo Hamz Stadium in Kampala on Saturday.
Sakariye Mohamed netted the vital goal for the Somalia team two minutes into added time to send the Somalian fans into celebrations.
“We are very happy that we kept strong and pushed on till we scored the vital goal,” said Somalia’s assistant coach Muqtar Ali.
In the second match the hosts Uganda Cubs humbled Kenya 5-0 to finish top of Group A ahead of Tanzania.
Uganda netted three goals in the first half with James Bogere converting an early penalty and added his second before the interval. Isima Mulala Magala also got his name on the score sheet in the first half.
After recess Bogere netted his third goal after 58 minutes after the Kenyan defending line again failed to close out spaces. Substitute Simon Wanyama also made sure he increased Uganda’s lead to five goals with a hard shot after 78 minutes.
Uganda will now face Somalia in the second semi-final match, while South Sudan battle Tanzania on December 24th, 2024. The finalists will automatically qualify for the TotalEergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to take place next year in Ivory Coast.
The final stage of the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship 2024 takes centre stage this weekend with two matches on card in the CECAFA Zone.
South Sudan who stopped Kenya in the last round will host Rwanda at the Juba National Stadium, while Ethiopia face Sudan in a match to be played in Benghazi, Libya, all on Sunday.
Burundi will also face Uganda in the first leg on December 26th in a match they will host at the Nakivubo Hamz Stadium in Kampala. The return legs will be played before December 29th, 2024.
Already hosts of the CHAN 2024 Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania have automatically qualified ahead of the 19 teams tournament exclusively featuring players from domestic leagues across Africa.
The tournament will take place in East Africa from February 1-28, 2025. It is only Sudan and Rwanda who have hosted the CHAN tournament before in the CECAFA Zone.
AFRICAN NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP
CAF President praises Wallace Karia for Football development in Tanzania
The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Dr. Patrice Motsepe has praised Wallace Karia for the good work he is doing in the development of Football in Tanzania.
Dr. Motsepe said this in Dar es Salaam on Thursday during the start of his two- day visit of the three nations that will host the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship 2024 (CHAN).
“I am proud of the good work Wallace Karia is doing in the development of Football in Tanzania,” Dr. Motsepe said this while touring the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. Karia is the President of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) and the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA).
The CAF President also thanked Tanzania’s President, Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan and Hussein Mwinyi, the President of Zanzibar for the continuously support of football development.
Dr. Motsepe was accompanied by the 4th CAF Vice President Seidou Mbombo Njoya, Chairperson of the CHAN Organising Committee, Tanzania Football Federation President Wallace Karia and CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba.
The CAF delegation are expected to arrive in Nairobi, Kenya on Thursday night ahead of their inspection on Friday and a meeting with Kenya President William Ruto and leadership of Kenya Football Federation. They will later travel to Kampala on Friday afternoon to meet with the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and the leadership of FUFA.
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda will hosts CHAN 2024 from 1 to 28 February 2025.
CAF Confederation Cup
President Samia Suluhu applauds Simba SC for stopping CS Sfaxien in CAF Confederation tie
The President of Tanzania, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan has applauded Simba SC following their 2-1 win against CS Sfaxien in a TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup match played on Sunday in Dar es salaam.
Sfaxien took an early lead through Hazem Haj Hassen after only three minutes at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, but Simba SC fought back strongly.
Denis Kibu leveled matters four minutes later and netted the winning goal nine minutes into added time.
The win sends Simba SC to six points and third on the log, while Bravos do Maquis who beat CS Constantine last evening 3-2 move top of Group A.
Following Simba SC’s hard fought victory, the President of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan has come out to congratulate them for the good display.
“Congratulations to the Lions Club for the victory in the Confederations Cup game in Africa against CS Sfaxien. You continue to give Tanzanians happiness and entertainment by flying the flag of our country internationally, while we continue to remain united in work, peace, unity, stability and solidarity. I wish you all the best in your next games,” said the President
Simba SC, CECAFA’s only representatives in the Group stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup will next travel to face CS Sfaxien on January 5th, 2025 in Tunisia.
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