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

Kenya have been placed in Group B of the forthcoming TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 that has Nigeria, Morocco and Tunisia.

The Confederation of African Football Associations (CAF) conducted the draw for the competition on Sunday in Cairo, Egypt.

It was a re-draw after the initial tournament meant to take place in Ivory Coast, was moved to Egypt to run April 27^th to May 18^th, 2025.

While Kenya have been placed in Group B, the CECAFA U-20 reigning champions Tanzania have been placed in Group A which will have five teams including hosts Egypt, Zambia, Sierra Leone and South Africa.

The defending champions Senegal are placed in Group C alongside Central African Republic, DR Congo and Ghana who have lifted the trophy a record four times. Nigeria and Egypt have also lifted the U-20 African title three times apiece.

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

_{The national U-20 teams of South Sudan and Uganda have stepped up preparations ahead of the U-20 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023.}

_{Egypt will host the competition from February 19th to March 11th, 2023. For the first time the AFCON U-20 will attract 12 teams that are pooled in three groups.}

_{South Sudan and Uganda, the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) representatives have all been pooled in Group B that will also have The Central African Republic and Congo Brazzaville.}

_{Stefano Cusin, also the head coach of the South Sudan national team has been handling the U-20 team before they travel to Cairo, Egypt on Monday. The South Sudan team is expected to pitch camp in Egypt where they will also play three friendly matches.}

_{“The team has been putting in a lot of effort during training and the camp in Egypt will also help us better,” added Cusin. Victor Lawrence Lual, the Secretary General of the South Sudan Football Association (SSFA) confirmed that the team will play a friendly match against Egypt’s U-20 team on February 10th in Cairo. “We shall also have two other build-up matches before the tournament,” added Lual.}

_{For the CECAFA U-20 champions Uganda Hippos have also been preparing for over two weeks in Njeru before shifting to Kampala. Head coach Jackson Mayanja has made it clear that his target is to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.}

_{“We know what is at stake and the players know what we expect from them. We have stepped up with training and we shall continue to play more build-up matches,” added Mayanja.}

_{The tournament in Egypt will also double as the African qualifiers for the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023 to be held in Indonesia. The top four teams will qualify for the World Cup.}

South Sudan U20 National team has booked a semi-final slot in the on-going U-20 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers for the CECAFA Zone by beating Djibouti by a solitary goal in a match played at Kober Stadium, Khartoum.

In the crucial final Group A match, both teams played attractive attacking football but lacked sharpness in front of goal. One of the best chances came to Tito Mayor who missed a clear chance after a beautiful teamwork build-up in the 25th minute. Moments later some good pressing forcing a fine save from Djibouti keeper, Aboubakar Abdi.

Both teams committed a number of fouls with South Sudan having a penalty appeal denied by the referee who waved play on. The match went into halftime 0-0.

Coming into the second half South Sudan showed more intention in attacking while Djibouti’s defense held on together breaking with counterattacks. South Sudan pressing yielded no results and the technical bench initiated their first substitution card by bringing in Bhaanki Abujalha in the 58th minute for Agot and minutes later Aziz Fulla for Kenyi Wani.

South Sudan head coach, Charles John brought in Jacob Coal for Kennedy Martin in the 72nd minute. In the 79th minute, an eruptive attack by South Sudan from the left flank produced a set piece into Djibouti’s penalty box that was handled by a defender for a penalty. It was at this moment that Captain Joseph Jele stepped back calmly to slot home the penalty that won the match.

Djibouti tried to get into the game by bringing on board Khalid Ali for Chakib Ali Omar in the 83rd minute but South Sudan held on firmly into end of the match to secure an important win that took them to the next stage of the tourney.

They qualified as runners-up in Group A led by Sudan who won by a solitary goal against Burundi in Group A final match held at Al-Hilal Stadium, Khartoum.

_{Group A Table Standings}

                 _{P    W   D     L   GF    GA   A  Pts}

_{Sudan       3      2     1     0     2       0     2    7}

_{S.Sudan    3      1     2    0     1       0     1     5}

Burundi 3      1    1   0     5     1     4  4    

_{Djibouti    3      0     0     2     0      7     -7    0}