The Somalia team has revived their title hopes in the Boys category at the on-going Zonal CAF African Schools Football Championship in Uganda.

After kick starting their campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Uganda and a draw against Tanzania on Tuesday, the Somalia team defeated Rwanda 2-1 in a tough match played today at the St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende.

Zakariya Osman gave the Somalia team the lead, and Olivier Nshimiyimana leveled matters. But the Somalia team did not give up and piled lots of pressure to earn a penalty that skipper Bashir Hassan converted.

The win takes Somalia to second place with 4 points, behind Uganda (6 points) who only managed goalless draws against Tanzania and Burundi in matches played on Wednesday.

“We are hungry and will be determined to beat Burundi on Thursday so that we win the Cup,” said Somalia’s Captain Bashir Hassan. The two matches in the Boys category between Somalia and Burundi, and Tanzania against Rwanda will decide which team wins the Cup. Uganda who top the log have played all their 4 matches and can only keep their fingers crossed.

In the Girls category Uganda and Tanzania settled for a goalless draw, while Burundi humbled Rwanda 3-0. Erica Iradukunda netted a brace, while Emelyne Shurwenylmana Emelyne was also on target for the third placed Burundi team that has collected 3 points. Tanzania and Uganda each have 4 points going into the final day on Thursday.

Rwanda will face Uganda, while table leaders Tanzania battle Burundi in the final Girls’ matches to be played on Thursday.

The winners in each category will qualify to represent the Zone at the continental Championship next year. The winner will also bag US$100,000, the runner-up US$75,000, and the third placed US$50,000. The Championship is also supported by the Motsepe Foundation.

Action in the CAF African Schools Football Championship – CECAFA qualifiers will start on December 10^th, 2024 at the St. Marys Stadium, Kitende.

Yusuf Mossi, the CECAFA Competitions Director released the fixtures for both the Boys and Girls categories on Sunday evening.

He made it clear that with the five and four teams for the boys and girls respectively, the Championship will be played on a round robin basis. “The teams with more points after all matches are played will emerge champions in each of the categories,” added Mossi.

Tanzania will open the campaign against Burundi in the Boys category, while Tanzania again take on Rwanda in the Girls category in the second match of the day.

Four Boys matches will be played on Tuesday, while two matches will be played for the Girls.

Boys: Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Somalia, Rwanda

Girls: Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda

The CAF African Schools Football Championship – CECAFA qualifiers will take place December 8-12^th in Kampala, Uganda.

John Auka Gecheo, the Executive Director of the Council of Est and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) has confirmed that the ASFC tournament will be held in Uganda.

Gecheo says the tournament was moved to Uganda because Eritrea which was meant to host could not go ahead and successfully host the event. “We are happy that Uganda has accepted to host the tournament for Schools,” added Gecheo.

The tournament will attract six Boys teams and five Girls teams. The best teams in each category will qualify to represent the CECAFA Zone at the continental level.

Yusuf Mossi, the CECAFA Competitions Director explained that the draw for the Boys category will be conducted on December 4th, 2023 with each Group having three teams. “The top two boys teams will play a semi and into the finals and the winner will represent the zone in the continental phase,” added Mossi. He said the Girls will play a league format with the top team qualifying for the Continental phase.

Last year Ugandan teams dominated the tournament which was held in Nairobi, Kenya. Uganda’s Boys team defeated Tanzania 4-2 in penalty shoot-outs after the match ended 1-1, while the Ugandan Girls team stopped Kenya 2-1 in the final.

The CAF African Schools Football Championship finals 2024 will be hosted by Zanzibar from May 21-24th at the Amaan Stadium.

Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) announced on Friday that the Championship, the second Edition will take place in Zanzibar.

The CAF African Schools Football Championship which features Boys and Girls under the age of 15 is the brainchild of CAF President Dr.  Patrice Motsepe.

CECAFA Zonal champions St. Marys Secondary School Kitende (SMASK) (Boys) and Kawempe Muslim SS (Girls), also from Uganda will represent the Zone.

To qualify for the final SMACK defeated Tanzania 4-2 via post-match penalties after a 1-1 draw in the final, while Kawempe Muslim SS edged Kenya 2-1 when the Zonal qualifiers were played last December in Nairobi, Kenya.

Hussein Ahmada, the General Secretary of the Zanzibar Football Federation (ZFF) said that they are happy that they will host the CAF African Schools Football Championship finals. ” We promise to host a good Championship and we invite everyone to come and see Zanzibar, ” he added.

In 2023, Febraury Royal Giants High School clinched the CECAFA title, but failed to travel for the finals of the firts Edition in South Africa, while Tanzania’s Fountain Gate School lifted the girl’s trophy in Durban.

Besides the Championship in Zanzibar, CAF will also conduct various capacity-building programmes which include the Young Reporters Programme, Young Referee Programme, Young Medical Officers Programme, CAF D License Coaching Course, as well as the CAF Safeguarding workshops.

Winners of both the Boys’ and Girls’ competition will each receive USD 300 000 prize money, runners-up each receiving USD 200 000, while the bronze medalists will each take home USD 150 00, courtesy of CAF’s partnership with the Motsepe Foundation to be utilised for development projects within schools.