Uganda dominates CAF African Schools Football Championship CECAFA qualifiers

Ugandan teams have qualified to represent the Zone after winning the boys and girls categories at the CAF African Schools Football Championship CECAFA qualifiers in Nairobi, Kenya today.

In the first final Uganda saw off Kenya 2-1 in the girls category played first at the Kasarani Stadium. Later the Ugandan boys team also lifted the title after beating Tanzania 4-2 on penalties after the match had ties 1-1 in normal time.

Lindey Weey Atieno gave Kenya the lead, but Shadia Nabirye and Shaluwah Butini later scored to ensure Uganda takes the trophy home for the first time after coming third last season.

In the boys category Uganda took the lead early in the second half with a well taken free-kick by Ashraf Kyakuwa. But Abel Simon made it 1-1 for Tanzania with few minutes to full time. The Ugandan team converted all their 4 penalty kicks, while Tanzania missed two.

The winners in each category bagged US$100,000, while the first runners-up US$750,000 and the second runners’ up in each category US$50,000. The Zonal qualifiers for CECAFA attracted six teams in the boys category and five in the girls category. The Championship is sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation.

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts, Ababu Namwamba was the chief guest. The other guests who graced the finals include; Kenya. Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President, Nick Mwendwa, South Sudan Football Association (SSFA), Augustino Maduot, CAF’s manager for African Schools Programme, Yvonne Namai, Justus Mugisha, the First Vice President of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), and FKF Vice President Doris Petra also attended the Awards ceremony.