Cranes roll on

Nov 28, 2000

ANDREW Mukasa scored the first hat-trick of the regional competition as Uganda humiliated Djibouti to set up a semi final clash with defending champions Rwanda.

* Mukasa gets hat-trick, Ethiopia in semi final By William Muwonge Burundi 0 Ethiopia 1 Uganda 7 Djibouti 0 ANDREW Mukasa scored the first hat-trick of the regional competition as Uganda humiliated Djibouti to set up a semi final clash with defending champions Rwanda. Uganda, with a record seven titles meet Rwanda at Nakivubo stadium tomorrow. Ethiopia will take on the Lions, Uganda's second team in the second semi final at the same venue on Thursday. The 1987 champions Ethiopia, who needed a draw against Burundi to advance in another match held yesterday, put the issue beyond doubt with an 89th minute goal. Substitute Edrir Abubekel's curling shot zoomed into the roof of the net to send the Burundians home. Burundi required a win to move to the last four stage. The two teams took to the field first under sweltering afternoon temperatures before Cranes-Djibouti wound up the group A series. Cranes registered the biggest win of the tournament to go one goal better than the previous mark, the 6-0 Somalia . Mukasa's hat-trick, a goal each from skipper George Semogerere, Hassan Mubiru, Fred Makokha and Meddie Nsubuga sunk Djibouti. Striking sensation Mukasa leads the scorers with five goals. But Cranes' Nigerian coach Harrison Okagbue said a bigger challenge awaits the team. "It becomes more harder as the tournament progresses, but my players will not relent, they know the task ahead of them," Okagbue said. "Rwanda is a good team, they will fight but the harder they come, the harder they will fall." Skipper Semogerere put Cranes ahead with a diving header after 15 minutes. Makokha, a professional in Kenya, scored the second goal two minutes later to set the stage for the scoring spree. Mukasa sealed Djibouti's fate to complete the hat-trick in the 63rd minute. Uganda: Kawalya, Malinga, Obwiny (Mbalangu), Semogerere, Batabaire (Kawesa), Nsubuga, Makokha, Kalungi, Mukasa, Mubiru, Buwembo (Kyambadde). Djibouti: A. Abdi, H. Mahamoud (Abdor), Ismael, Zeid (Ahmed), S. Ahmed, Ahmed, Mohamed, F. Ali, Ahmed (Hossan), Mahamad, M. Said. Scorers: 5 goals Andrew Mukasa (Uganda) 3 goals: Nicholas Kubi (Burundi) Hassan Mubiru (Uganda) Edrir Abubekel (Ethiopia) 2 goals: Hussein Seman (Ethiopia) Sintahoyu Getachew (Ethiopia) Abdallah Irambona (Burundi) Julien Nsegiyumva (Rwanda) Moses Bantu (Uganda) Standings; Group A: P W D L F A Pts Uganda 4 3 1 0 17 3 10 Ethiopia 4 3 1 0 9 5 10 Burundi 4 2 0 2 8 5 6 Djibouti 4 0 1 3 4 15 1 Somalia 4 0 1 3 1 11 1 Group B: Lions 3 3 0 0 6 2 9 Rwanda 3 1 1 1 5 5 4 Eritrea 3 0 2 1 1 2 2 Kenya 3 0 1 2 1 4 1 Ends.

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