Uganda dominates CECAFA tournaments in 2019

The Council of East and Central African Football Associations (CECAFA) completed the 2019 season on a high with six tournaments. Uganda who are best ranked by FIFA in the region had their teams dominate most of the tournaments winning four out of the six.

The season started with the CECAFA Kagame Club Championships in July in Kigali, Rwanda where Uganda Premier League giants KCCA FC won the trophy.

Handled by coach Mike Hillary Mutebi, KCCA FC stopped Azam FC 1-0 in the final to emerge champions. The tournament also had guest sides Green Eagles FC from Zambia and DR Congo’s AS Maniema Union.

For the first time after about 10-years action shifted to Asmara, Eritrea where the inaugural CECAFA U-15 Boys Challenge Cup took centre stage.

Apart from Djibouti and Zanzibar that did not enter teams, the tournament was well attended by the locals in Asmara where Uganda whitewashed Kenya 4-0 in the final to lift the title.

Abraham Esayas, President of the Eritrean National Football Federation (ENFF) said it was a good step for international football to return to Eritrea. “We are back to hosting CECAFA tournaments and we shall make sure we always try to host tournaments more frequently so that our players can get more exposure,” added Esayas.

In September through to early October Uganda hosted the inaugural CECAFA U-20 Challenge Cup at the FUFA Technical center in Njeru. The Tanzania team led by the new rising star Kelvin Pius John were dominant from the start of the tournament as they came out unbeaten.

Tanzania stopped Kenya 1-0 in the final, with Kelvin Pius John coming out top scorer and best player of the tournament. Eritrea scooped bronze after defeating Burundi 1-0 in the play-off.

In November Tanzania hosted a successful CECAFA Senior Women’s Challenge Cup played at the Azam Complex. Kenya Starlets shocked defending champions Tanzania Kilimanjaro Queens 2-0 in the final with Jentrix Shikangwa coming off the bench to score a brace. Uganda Crested Cranes finished in third place.

Later in November through to December Uganda hosted the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup and the inaugural CECAFA U-15 Girls Challenge Cup.

In the Girls competition that attracted six teams and played on a round robin basis Uganda won all her matches and only drew with Tanzania who finished second. Doris Petra, a member of the Kenya FA executive and was a member of the out-going CECAFA executive said it was a good start to have the Girls have a competitive tournament in the region.

“This is a very good move by members in the region because we such a tournament we are keeping the girls busy and getting more competitive games under their belts which will in turn help them be ready to compete well with other regions,” added Petra.

Uganda Cranes also won their 15^th CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup stopping Eritrea 3-0 in the final played at the StarTimes Stadium, Lugogo.

It was competitive tournament with some shocking results as Eritrea humbled defending champions 4-0 at the semi final stage and Uganda ejected Tanzania 1-0 at the semi too.

Nicholas Musonye, the CECAFA Secretary General thanked all the CECAFA members for being active through out the season. “It is only by having competitions that football in the region will steadily grow. We need our players to keep playing in tournaments to be able to match other region,” added Musonye.

CECAFA will for the first time have nine tournaments spread out within the 2020 season.