The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda National Under-17 team, the Uganda Cubs, will take on Somalia today in the semi-final of the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) CECAFA qualifiers, taking place in Uganda.
This semi-final clash is a repeat of the 2022 CECAFA U-17 semi-final, where Somalia triumphed over Uganda at the Abebe Bikila Stadium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Uganda’s head coach, Brian Ssenyondo, acknowledges that Somalia will be more motivated following their previous victory but remains confident that this fixture provides an opportunity for Uganda to exact revenge.
Coach Ssenyondo emphasized the importance of an early goal to control the match and stated that a win is crucial for Uganda to secure a place in next year’s continental championship.
Uganda earned their semi-final spot with a dominant 5-0 victory over Kenya in their final group match, finishing atop Group A. Earlier, they had played to a 1-1 draw with Tanzania in their opening game. In the Kenya match, Uganda almost sealed the result in the first half, scoring three goals.
James Bogere converted an early penalty and added a second before the break. Isima Mulala Magala also found the back of the net in the first half. After the interval, Bogere completed his hat-trick in the 58th minute, before substitute Simon Wanyama sealed the 5-0 victory with a powerful strike in the 78th minute.
Meanwhile, Somalia progressed to the semi-finals after defeating Sudan in their final Group B match, finishing second in the group. Both the Uganda Cubs and Somalia are vying for a spot in the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.
The two finalists of the CECAFA qualifiers will automatically secure a place in this prestigious tournament, which will be held in Morocco next year. The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will be the 15th edition of this biennial African youth football tournament, organized for players aged 17 and below.
Morocco was selected as the host for this edition during the CAF Executive Committee meeting on December 16, 2024, which coincided with the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony in Marrakesh. All eight quarter-finalists will also qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, representing CAF on the global stage.
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