NEWS
Ethiopia prepare to host CECAFA U-23 Men’s Challenge Cup
The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) are preparing to host the first competition on the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) calendar to take place in July.
According to the Executive Director of CECAFA, Auka Gacheo, the CECAFA U-23 Men’s Challenge Cup slated for July 3-18th will open the season.
“We are making sure we prepare well for the tournament so that everything moves on smoothly,” EFF President, Esayas Jira told Cecafaonline.com on Thursday.
During their meeting ahead of the CAF General Assembly in Rabat, Morocco last month, CECAFA members decided that the Challenge Cup will this year be played like the Olympic format between U-23 players.
Kenya will host CECAFA’s second competition on the calendar which will be the Zonal qualifiers for the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League. The competition is tentatively set to run July 17th to August 1st.
According to the calendar the CECAFA Kagame Club Championship will take place August 1-15th in Tanzania, while the CECAFA U-20 Women’s competition will be hosted by Uganda between August 14-28th.
The CECAFA Senior Women’s Challenge will climax the 2021 season when it takes place between December 17-31st in Djibouti.
2021 CECAFA tournaments
CECAFA U-23 men’s Challenge Cup (Ethiopia, July 3-18)
Zonal CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers (Kenya, July 17 – August 1)
CECAFA Kagame Club Championship (Tanzania, August 1-15)
CECAFA U-20 Women’s Championship (Uganda, August 14-28)
CECAFA Senior Women’s Challenge Cup (Djibouti, December 17-31)
NEWS
Niyonkuru scores to help Changchun Dazhong Zhuoyue win 2025 Chinese Women’s FA Cup
Burundian International Sandrine Niyonkuru netted one of the goals to help Changchun Dazhong Zhuoyue beat Guangdong WFC 2-0 to clinch the 2025 Chinese Football Association (FA) Cup.
The hosts Guangdong WFC were the favourites going into the game in Zhaoqing, but Cangchun Dazhong Zhuoyue WFC played their hearts out to win the trophy for the first time.
Niyonkuru also finished as the top scorer in the Chinese Women’s Super League that ended over a week ago.
Ugandan International defender Aisha Nantongo also features for Changchun Dazhong Zhuoyue WFC.
Niyonkuru who joined the Chinese side from Masar FC from Egypt also finished top scorer in the League this season. She played 21 matches and scored 10 goals.
Her club ended the season with 34 points, finishing 7th out of 12 teams.
AFCOn 2025
10-man Sudan suffer defeat to Algeria in opening AFCON tie
A 10-man Sudan team suffered a 3-0 defeat to Algeria in their opening Group E TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 on Wednesday.
Former Manchester City forward, now plying his trade in Saudi Arabia Riyad Mahrez gave Algeria the lead after only two minutes at the Moulay Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
The Sudan team tried to reorganize themselves, but got into trouble when Salahedin Adil was sent off after picking a second card in the 39th minutes.
In the second half Mahrez made it 2-0 after 61 minutes when he curled in a cross from Hicham Boudaoui. The Sudan team tried to defend in numbers, but were less effective going forward.
With five minutes to the end of the match, Ibrahim Maza scored Algeria’s third goal off a Baghdad Bounedjah’s header.
James Kwesi Appiah, the Sudan coach said his team did not play well and added that the red card in the first half placed them in a disadvantaged spot. “We now need to go back and prepare for the match against Equatorial Guinea to be played on December 28th,” added Appiah.
The 2019 champions go top of Group E, while Burkina Faso who defeated Equatorial Guinea 2-1 in another match played are second on the log.
All team from the CECAFA Zone Tanzania, Uganda and Sudan have lost their opening matches. Tanzania suffered a 2-1 defeat to Nigeria, while Uganda fell 3-1 to Tunisia in Group C matches, and now Sudan going down 3-0.
AFCOn 2025
Tanzania, Uganda make false start in AFCON 2025
Two teams from the CECAFA Zone Tanzania and Uganda made false starts on Tuesday at the on-going TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 in Morocco.
The Taifa Stars skippered by Mbwana Samatta took to the field first losing 2-1 to Nigeria in a Group C match played at the Fez Stadium.
Semi Ajayi gave the Super Eagles the lead after 36 minutes finishing off a well taken Alex Iwobi cross.
But the Tanzanian side did not give up and continued to battle on creating their own chances. Akor Adams hit the woodwork for Nigeria and Victor Osimhen effort was also ruled for offside.
After recess Tanzania leveled matters with Charles M’mombwa scoring after 50 minutes off a Novatus Miroshi’s pass. But Ademola Lookman was quick to restore Nigeria’s lead again two minutes later.
Tanzania continued to push forward, but will also have to thank goalkeeper Zuberi Foba who made numerous saves.
“We put up a good show, but failed to concentrate after making it 1-1 and immediately conceded a goal. Now we need to focus on our next match against Uganda,” said Tanzania’s captain Samatta.
In the second Group C match Tunisia defeated Uganda 3-1 in a match played at the Rabat Olympic Stadium.
Elias Achouri netted a brace, while Ellyes Skhiri had given the Carthage Eagles the lead earlier.
After an early lead, Tunisia dictated the tempo of the match on a wet pitch after a heavy down pour. But the Uganda Cranes defended in numbers before Tunisia made it 2-0 before the break.
Achouri scored again after 64 minutes to make it 3-0 for Tunisia, but substitute Denis Omedi pulled one goal back for Uganda as the ball deflected off a defender.
“We made a poor start to the game, but looked better in the second half. We need to keep working hard because we now need to get a good result in our next match against Tanzania,” said Uganda Cranes coach Paul Put.
The win sends Tunisia top of Group C, while Nigeria are second, Tanzania third and Uganda bottom. Uganda will return to action against Tanzania on December 27th, the same day Tunisia will battle Nigeria.
AFCOn 2025
Uganda Cranes, Tanzania ready to make perfect start in AFCON 2025
Two teams from the CECAFA Zone Uganda and Tanzania will kick start their TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 campaigns on Tuesday in Morocco.
Taifa Stars of Tanzania will take to the field first against the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the Fez Stadium, while Uganda battle Tunisia in the second Group C match at the Rabat Olympic Stadium.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Miguel Gamondi, the Tanzania coach says his team is well prepared for their first match of the competition. “We must be very careful and well structured because we are playing against a team that has quality,” added Gamondi.
He however made it clear that Taifa Stars are in Morocco to compete and not just to participate. “When you play a team like Nigeria, there is no room for mistakes,” he cautioned.
Team captain Mbwana Samatta also made it clear that the spirit and morale among the players is very high.
Nigeria’s coach Eric Chelle says the match against Tanzania is very important because it’s their opening match and they must work hard and win.
Later in the evening Uganda Cranes will also hope to make a winning start against Tunisia which has been one of their bogey sides on the continent.
Khalid Aucho, Uganda’s experienced captain made it clear that the players are in good shape and ready to take on any team in the tournament.
The Uganda Cranes coach, Paul Put who has coached on the African continent for over 15 years says his players have the opportunity to show themselves to the world when they kick start the campaign against Tunisia. “The players are very motivated and ready to go,” added Put.
Former Tunisian International, and now the head coach Sami Trabelsi says they must be very cautious against Uganda.
On Wednesday Sudan will also be in action against 2019 champions Algeria in a Group E match. The two teams faced of over a week ago in the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar that ended goalless.
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