CECAFA Women’s Championship
Friday, June 13th (Uganda 0 Burundi 1)
Sunday, June 15th (Uganda vs South Sudan)
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Uganda women’s national team, the Crested Cranes, started their CECAFA Senior Women’s Championship title defence with a 1-0 defeat against Burundi on Friday at the Azam Complex in Tanzania.
In what was a rematch of the 2022 final, where Uganda triumphed 3-1 in Njeru, the Burundian side exacted revenge through a 75th-minute free kick from Esperance Habonimana that sealed all three points.
The game remained deadlocked at halftime with few clear-cut chances from either side. Despite the energetic leadership of Captain Zainah Namuleme, Uganda struggled to break down a compact and disciplined Burundi defence.
Habonimana’s curling effort from a set-piece proved the difference, catching the Ugandan goalkeeper off guard and handing Burundi a crucial opening win.
The Crested Cranes mounted pressure in the final minutes in search of an equaliser, but their efforts failed to yield a goal.
Uganda will now turn their attention to their second fixture against South Sudan on Sunday, June 15, hoping to register their first points in the five-team round-robin tournament.
The CECAFA Women’s Championship features Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, South Sudan, and hosts Tanzania. The team with the highest number of points at the end of the group stage will be crowned champions.
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