Kampala, (UG):- The Uganda Cubs emerged victorious in the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) CECAFA qualifiers, defeating Tanzania 2-1 in an exciting final at Nakivubo Hamz Stadium in Kampala on Friday.
Tanzania took an early lead in the 11th minute, with Abel Josiah Samson dribbling past a defender to score past Uganda’s goalkeeper Edrisah Waibi.
Despite the early setback, the Uganda Cubs remained relentless, creating several scoring chances but finding Tanzania’s defense tough to crack.
In the second half, Uganda came close to an equalizer when Arafat Nkoola’s header hit the post in the 56th minute.
However, their persistence paid off in the 64th minute when Nkoola headed in a well-delivered cross from Elvis Torach to level the score at 1-1.
As the game neared its conclusion, Uganda pressed for a winner, and in the 89th minute, James Bogere sealed the victory with a brilliant goal from a tight angle, scoring his seventh goal of the tournament and securing the Uganda Cubs’ triumph.
In an earlier play-off, Somalia triumphed over South Sudan in a thrilling penalty shootout, winning 4-2 after a 2-2 draw in regular time.
With the win, both Uganda and Tanzania have qualified to represent the CECAFA Zone in the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON to be held in Morocco.
The final match was attended by several dignitaries, including CECAFA officials and FUFA President Moses Hassim Magogo.
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