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 2023 CECAFA U18 BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP 

 SEMIFINAL RESULTS 

Uganda 1-0 Rwanda
Kenya 0-0 Tanzania (Kenya win 4-3 on penalties)
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And then there were two! After 10 days of vibrant youthful footballing action in Kenya, the cast of the 2023 CECAFA U18 Boys Championship final is finally complete: Uganda will battle hosts Kenya for the title this Friday.

After Uganda edged Rwanda 1-0 in the first semifinal on Tuesday at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kenya's port city of Kisumu, focus swiftly turned to the second semifinal, with the Junior Stars shouldering the hopes of a nation against a tough Tanzanian side.

In the earlier kickoff, Abubaker Mayanja's second-half goal was the difference as head coach Morley Byekwaso's Ugandan team slalomed into the final, and had to eagerly wait for the identity of their next and final opponent.

Having coasted through the tournament, hosts Kenya maintained their unbeaten streak after squaring off with Tanzania on Tuesday in a feisty semifinal duel that was decided by an exciting yet typically nervy penalty shootout.

The match sparked into life in the second half as the Kenyans enjoyed the full backing of a noisy, effervescent home crowd but chance after chance, Tanzania proved equal to the task as they snuffed out the marauding attacks.

But 90 minutes — plus a three-minute stoppage time — provided no breakthrough, and the contest was forced into extra time. It was the first time in this edition that Kenya had failed to score a goal in regulation time while it was the second time that Tanzania were level by the end of 90.

Still, the 30 minutes of extra time provided no winner and the dreaded spotkicks proved decisive.

Eventually, it was Kenya to progress 4-3 on penalties after their keeper, Ibrahim Wanzala, saved twice, before Syphas Owour coolly converted the winning penalty to ignite deafening jubilation within the masive home crowd, who poured onto the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium pitch to celebrate with their victorious team.

Final set: Kenya vs Uganda. This Friday. Same venue.

▪️ Uganda beat Rwanda to storm CECAFA U18 final

How they got to the final

It has been a smooth progression for Kenya from the group stage all the way to the final. The Junior Stars have won three and drawn one of their four games played so far.

The Ugandans, on the other hand, have won three and lost one of their four matches.

Here is how the two sides got to the final:

 UGANDA 

Uganda started on a losing note, with a 0-1 defeat to Tanzania in Group B. Sharif Wilson scored the lone goal.

Three days later, Uganda edged Zanzibar to register their first win. Travis Mutyaba gave the Ugandans the lead but his first-half goal was cancelled out by Moh'd Ali Moh'd's strike just before the break.

A Zanzibari own goal in the second half was the difference.

▪️ Uganda face Rwanda, hosts Kenya meet Tanzania

Uganda faced South Sudan in their final group game, and came out 2-0 winners at the end of 90.

In that one, Richard Okello broke the deadlock just after the hour mark after a goalless first half. Denis Kisiriko came off the bench to score a late winner as Uganda stormed the semis on top of Group A.

Next up, Uganda lined up against Rwanda for the first semifinal of this tournament on Tuesday. Head coach Morley Byekwaso's boys had a dominant opening half but failed to make that superiority count as the Rwandan shackles remained unbroken.

The goal eventually came in the second half through Abubaker Mayanja. And that was it. Uganda into the final.

▪️ Who will join Kenya and Rwanda in semis?

 KENYA 

From the stands of Jomo Kenyatta Stadium, Kenya's cabinet secretary for youth affairs, creative economy and sports Ababu Namwamba watched his nation open their campaign with a 5-0 thumping of Sudan in Group A.

Louise Ingavi got the rout going, Tyron Junior then made it two, Aldrine Kibet improved Kenya's lead, before Ingavi completed his brace to wrap up the hosts' dominant opening half.

Elly Owande then added gloss to a huge statement by Kenya with a fifth goal.

▪️ Kibet stars as Kenya edge Rwanda

Three days later, Kenya edged past Rwanda in a 1-0 result. Kibet got onto the scoresheet with his second goal of the tournment, which was enough to send the hosts into the semifinals with a game to spare.

Kenya's final group game was against Somalia. Abdihafid Abdi gave the Somalis the lead, but two quick-fire goals by Humprey Aroko and Stanley Omondi put the hosts in control.

Omondi added another, before Kibet climbed to the top of the goals chart with his third of the tournament and Kenya's fourth on the day for an emphatic 4-1 victory and progress strongly from the group stage.

Kenya played out a goalless 120 minutes with Tanzania, but the colourless look of the scoreline was sharply contrasted with the lively action on the pitch as the two sides battled to go through.

Inevitably, after two hours of playing failing to separate the two teams, the contest was whittled down to 10 penalty takers and two goalkeepers.

Eventually, it was Wanzala who was the hero of the day, thanks to his powerful save that allowed Owour to step forward and calmly slot Kenya into the final.

The final standings of the two groups...

 GROUP A 

 GROUP B 

* Tanzania progress on fair play grounds