NEWS
It’s D-Day for CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup semi finals in Ethiopia
After battling through the group stages four teams will this afternoon be all out to prove a point at the semi final stage of the CECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup.
The first game will see Tanzania face surprise package South Sudan, and later Burundi will take on Kenya’s Emerging Stars at the Bahir Dar Stadium, Ethiopia.
Kim Poulsen, the Tanzania coach has made it clear that they will not underrate the South Sudan team because they are a physical team that is also good at passing the ball. “We must approach this semi final match with a lot of caution and also take our chances,” added Poulsen.
The Tanzanian team will however miss the suspended first choice goalkeeper Boniface Mnata Metacha who accumulated two yellow cards in their group games where they beat DR Congo 1-0 and drew 1-1 with Uganda.
For the South Sudan team that scored late goals to beat Djibouti 2-0 in their last group game to make it to the knock out stage, they will hope that Dominic Angelo Kornello and Aluk Akeck Mabior find their scoring touch again.
South Sudan’s head coach Simon James Yor made it clear that although the Tanzanian team is good on the ball, his team will use a strategy which will tame their opponents. “We also need to be sharp at goal because this is a knock out stage,” added the coach.
The second semi final match pitting the highest scoring teams in the tournament promises to be a thriller. Paul Reagan Otieno and Benson Ochieng Oluoch will be determined to continue with their scoring form for the Kenyan team that has also not conceded a goal yet. “We have had enough time to rest and also prepare for the semi final. I have watched Burundi play and they are not an easy side,” said Kenya’s coach Stanley Khayo Okumbi.
Kenya started their campaign with a 3-0 win against Djibouti, before stopping South Sudan 2-0. The Burundi team humbled Eritrea 3-0 and settled for a 1-1 draw against hosts Ethiopia.
Burundi’s coach Jimmy Ndayizeye made it clear that playing at the semi final stage is good for his young players. “I am happy that we are at the semi final stage. We are going to approach this game with a lot of caution to defend well and also try to take our chance at goal,” added Ndayizeye.
Tomorrow action will shift to the classification matches with Ethiopia facing DR Congo to determine which team will be ranked seventh and eighth, while Eritrea battle Uganda in a fifth and sixth ranking match. The tournament will come to climax on July 30th.
Uganda have defeated Djibouti 4-1 in the opening match of the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) CECAFA qualifiers.
Isima Magala gave the Ugandan team the lead after only five minutes on Tuesday at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
After 23 minutes substitute Ishak Tahir leveled matters for the Djibouti team. Tahir made no mistake beating the Ugandan goalkeeper Adrian Isabirye.
The Ugandan team lef by captain Ricahrd Okello continued to attack in numbers, but failed to convert. At the stroke of halftime Genesis Ocen Odiya restored Uganda’s lead.
In the second half Uganda returned with more purpose and pushed deep into the Djibouti half. Okello got his name on the score sheet for Uganda after 60 minutes, and Magala netted his second of the day to make it 4-1.
The Djibouti team tried to shoot from outside the box, but failed to find the target for more goals. The win sends Uganda top of Group B before they face Sudan in the last match of the prelimnary stage.
Laryea Kingston, the Uganda coach said although they missed several scoring opportunities, it is good they managed to collect a win in the first match. “We take every match as it comes and work hard to get a win,” added the coach.
His counterpart Abdirahman Ali Abubakar said his team had started well, but failed to defend better.
The second match will see South Sudan face Burundi in a Group C, while hosts Tanzania face Rwanda in a Group A encounter.
Group B standing
P W D L GF GA GD Pts
Uganda 1 1 0 0 4 1 3 3
Sudan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Djibouti 1 0 0 1 1 4 -3 0
Three matches are on card as the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) CECAFA qualifiers kick-off at the Uhuru Stadium on Tuesday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
In a Group B battle, Uganda will take on Djibouti in the opening match of the competition.
Layrea Kingston, the Uganda head coach has made it clear that every match in the tournament will be very important because their target is qualification for U-20 AFCON.
“We shall treat the opening match with a lot of seriousness and caution because it will determine the kind of momentum we shall set in the competition,” said Kingston.
The second match will see South Sudan face Burundi in a Group C. John Alier, the South Sudan head coach has also made it clear that they need to work hard and make it through the group to the knock out stage.
“We need to go out and try to win all out group matches because we are targeting qualification for U-20 AFCON,” added the coach.
The third match of the day will see the hosts Tanzania tussle it out against Rwanda in a Group A encounter. The Ngorongoro Heroes are the defending champions in the Zone having lifted the trophy in 2024.
Yusuf Mossi, the Competitions Manager of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) has made it clear that they expect a very competitive event. “All the teams have arrived in Dar es salaam and we expect a good competition,” added Mossi.
The semi-final matches will be played September 22nd with Group B winners facing the best second placed team, and Group A winners taking on Group C winners.
The play-off and final will be played on September 24th. The finalists will qualify for the U-20 AFCON 2027.
Tanzania Premier League side Simba SC have advanced to the second preliminary sage of the 2026/2027 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.
Simba SC thrashed Mighty Wanderers FC 6-1 in the second leg of the first preliminary round played at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.
Clatous Chota Chama and Libasse Gueye scored a brace each, while Matiala Keletso Makgalwa and Morice Michael Abraham also had their names on the score sheet for Simba SC. Clement Nyondo netted the only goal for the Malawi Premier League side.
Simba will now face the winner between 15 de Agusto and Fumboni FC.
Another Tanzanian side Young Africans SC struggled to collect a 2-1 win against Gaborone United FC in a match played on Saturday at the Azam Complex.
Young Africans who advanced on a 3-2 goal aggregate will next face CFFA from Madagascar in the second preliminary round in October.
After drawing goalless in the first leg Sidama Bunna from Ethiopia defeated Aiglons 3-0 on Sunday. The Ethiopian side will now face Sudan’s Al Hilal SC in the second preliminary round in a battle of CECAFA teams.
On Sunday CECAFA teams KVZ FC (Zanzibar), Vipers SC (Uganda) and Kenya’s Gor Mahia FC all failed to advance to the next stage of the competition.
Al Merrikh (Sudan) who ejected Zambia’s Power Dynamos 2-0 on aggregate will now face Horoya AC in the next stage,
Rwanda’s APR FC who saw off DR Congo’s Les Algles du Congo 3-1 on aggregate will now face Zamalek FC. The Egypt side ejected AS Port (Djibouti) 6-1 on goal aggregate.
South Sudan’s El Merriekh SC Bentiu who saw off Heegan FC (Somalia) 4-0 on goal aggregate will now face Pyramids in the next round.
In other matches played on Sunday, KVZ FC suffered a 3-0 defeat at home in Zanzibar, while Pyramids FC humbled Gor Mahia FC (Kenya) 5-1 to qualify on a 7-1 goal aggregate. Vipers SC who had managed a 1-1 draw in Kampala bowed out after the return leg ended goalless against FC Nouadhibou in Mauritania.
Second preliminary round fixtures for CECAFA teams
CFFA vs Young Africans SC
APR FC vs Zamalek FC
El Merriekh SC Bentiu vs Pyramids FC
Sidama Bunna vs Al Hilal SC
Horoya AC vs Al Merrikh
Kenya’s Tusker FC have progressed to the next round of the 2026/2027 TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup.
After a 2-2 draw in the first leg against Al Ahli Madani (Sudan), Tusker FC managed to pick a 1-0 win in the return leg played at the Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.
Chrispin Erambo netted the lone goal in the second half to guide the Brewers to the next stage of the competition where they will face 2025 CECAFA Kagame Cup winners Singida Black Stars FC.
The Tanzanian stopped Al Ghazala FC (South Sudan) 3-0 in the return leg played on Sunday to sail through 10-1 on goal aggregate.
Kitara FC, Uganda’s Premier League side also defeated Mogadishu City Club 2-0 in the return leg played at the new Hoima City Stadium on Saturday. Jimmy Kalema and Frank Tumwesigye to ensure Kitara FC qualified on a 4-1 goal aggregate. They will next face African giants Al Ahly from Egypt in the next round in October.
Rwanda’s Rayon Sports FC who needed a lone goal to see off Panthere FC (Cameroon) 1-0 on Saturday will now face Black Bulls FC from Mozambique in the second preliminary round.
Welwalo Adigrat FC from Ethiopia who edged Al Hilal Alsahil 4-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw on aggregate will now face Libya’s Al Ahly Tripoli.
Tanzania’s Azam FC who start their campaign in the second preliminary round will face ZED FC. The Egyptian side eliminated ASAS from Djibouti 5-1 on aggregate.
Second preliminary round fixtures for CECAFA teams
Kitara FC vs Al Ahly
ZED FC vs Azam FC
Welwalo Adigrat FC vs Al Ahly Tripoli
Tusker FC vs Singida Black Stars FC
Rayon Sports FC vs Black Bulls FC
-
CAF Champions League11 months agoYoung Africans draw Al Ahly for CAF Champions League group stage
-
CAF African Nations Championship2 years agoAfrican Nations Championship 2025 dates announced
-
CAF African Nations Championship1 year agoCHAN 2024: Kenya lead group, to face Madagascar in quarter final stage
-
FIFA WOrld Cup Qualifiers1 year agoUganda win, Tanzania pick late draw in FIFA World Cup qualifiers
-
FIFA U-17 World Cup 202510 months agoUganda ejects Senegal to storm FIFA U-17 World Cup round of 16
-
CECAFA11 years agoBotswana beats Kenya in African Youth Championships
-
NEWS5 years agoYoung Africans SC face Nyasa Big Bullets in CECAFA Kagame Cup kick-off
-
NEWS5 years agoCECAFA U-23 Challenge Cup: Ethiopia face tough Burundi hurdle