NEWS
Uganda Hippos win, South Sudan go down fighting in TotalEnergies U-20 AFCON
Uganda made a winning start at the on-going 2023 TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Monday.
The Hippos dispatched The Central African Republic 2-1 in the first Group B match played at the Suez Canal Stadium.
Skipper Isma Mugulusi gave the Hippos the lead after 47 minutes, and John Paul Dembe made it 2-0 after 74 minutes as coach Jackson Mayanja’s team dominated play. Boris Gbenou pulled one back for The Central African Republic in added time.
Titus Ssematimba, Ivan Irinimbabazi and Travis Mutyaba all caused The Central African Republic defenders all sorts of trouble.
“”My lads played a good game and the first game is not always easy at big tournaments like this. It’s a big stage for the players and we won against a good team. But we need to keep focused for the other matches to come,” said Uganda’s coach Mayanja.
In the second Group B match debutants South Sudan put up a spirited fight but lost 2-1 to Congo Brazzaville. Maurile Bassinga netted the opening goal for Congo Brazzaville at the stroke of half time, and Sousou Ilendo doubled the scores after the interval off a penalty.
The junior Bright Star continued to attack and were rewarded when Paul Mara scored with seven minutes to full time. Peter James, the South Sudan coach said they were unlucky to get a key players injured earlier, but added that his team had played better in the second half.
Action in Group B will return on Thursday with joint table leaders Uganda Hippos and Congo Brazzaville facing off, while South Sudan take on The Central African Republic. The 12-team competition will climax on March 11th.
The tournament also doubles as the African qualifiers for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Indonesia. The top four teams will qualify for the World Cup.
Two female referees from the CECAFA Zone referee Shamirah Nabadda (Uganda) and Salima Mukansanga (Rwanda) are among the referees selected to officiate at the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Nabadda is among the 14 referees selected, while Mukansanga will be a VAR referee at the Confederation of African Football (CAF) organised competition slated for April 27th to May 18th in Egypt.
The Ugandan Nabadda has also officiated at top competitions like the 2024 Paris Olympics in France and the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Dominican Republic and the CAF African Women’s Championship (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The other referees from the CECAFA Zone who have been selected includes Dickens Mimisa Mnyagrowa (Kenya), while Yasir Abdelaziz Ahmed (Sudan) will also be a VAR referee. The three assistant referees selected from the Zone include; Sirak Samuel (Eritrea), Ally Hamdani Said (Tanzania) and Burundi’s Fides Bangurambona.
The U-20 AFCON which will feature 13 teams including Tanzania and Kenya from the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) Zone.
The four semi-finalists will qualify as the CAF representatives for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup to take place in Chile.
Group A: Egypt, Zambia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania
Group B: Nigeria, Tunisia, Kenya, Morocco
Group C: Senegal, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Ghana
Tanzania Premier League side, Simba Sports Club have booked a place in the semi-final stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.
After losing the first leg 2-0 to Al Masry, the Tanzanian side replied by winning by the same margin and went on to win 4-1 in penalty shoot-outs at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Wednesday.
Motivated by the home fans Simba SC kick started the match with a lot of intent attacking in numbers, but the Egyptian side held on strong. But after 2 minutes Elie Mpanzu Nkibisawala put Simba SC ahead with a hard shot from yards away that beat Al Masry goalkeeper Mahmoud Ahmed.
Ten minutes later Ugandan International Steven Dese Mukwala nodded in Simba SC’s second goal from close range.
After recess the visiting team reorganized themselves and defended I numbers to deny the home side more goals. During the penalty shoot-outs Simba SC’s goalkeeper Moussa Camara saved two penalties, while Jean Charles Ahoua, Mukwala, Kibu Denis Prosper and Shomari Salum Kapombe all scored for Simba SC to ensure the Tanzanian side sealed through 4-1.
“I thank my players for the hard work because after losing the first leg they knew that they hard to work harder to be able to qualify for the next stage,” said Simba SC’s head coach Fadlu Davids after the match.
Simba SC will face the winner between Stellenbosch SC (South Africa) and Zamalek (Egypt) at the semi-final stage.
Sudan Premier League side Al Hilal are out of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Coach Florent Ibenge’s team lost 1-0 in their quarter final return leg against Al Ahly played at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania.
The Egyptian giants qualified on a 2-0 goal aggregate having won the first leg 1-0.
After a goalless first half, Al Hilal piled lots of pressure, but failed to find the goals. Ali Abdalla came close after 63 minutes, but Al Ahly goalkeeper Taher Muhamed was quick to block the ball.
It was Emam Ashour who netted the lone goal for Al Ahly against the run of play after 80 minutes. against the run of play
Al Hilal’s defeat marked the end of a team from the CECAFA Zone in the competition. Another Egyptian side Pyramids also sailed through to the semi-final stage on a 4-3 goal aggregate.
Former champions Mamelodi Sundowns also made it through, while Orlando Pirates who carry a 1-0 advantage against MC Alger are yet to play the second leg.
The head coach of Al Hilal, Florent Ibenge has said his team must be at it’s best when they host Al Ahly in the return leg in the quarter final stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Ibenge’s team lost the first leg 1-0 in a match played at the Cairo International Stadium on Tuesday.
But Ibenge has made it clear they must be at their best and also use home advantage when they host Al Ahly on Tuesday at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium, Nouakchott in Mauritania.
“We know Al Ahly is a good team and we now know what to do in the return leg. It will not be an easy match, but we need to be sharper at the front and also defend with a lot of caution,” added the experienced coach.
The Sudan Premier League giants who have had to play in the Mauritanian Premier League in the 2024/2025 season because of the political instability back home will count on the support in Nouakchott.
Al Hilal also boost of a fairly good record playing in Nouakchott winning against San Pedro (Ivory Coast) in the second round, against TP Mazembe and drawing against MC Alger in the Group stage, and suffering a 1-0 defeat to Tanzania’s Young Africans SC.
Al Hilal are the only team from the CECAFA Zone playing at the quarter final stage of the 2024/2025 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
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