Uganda to face off with Tanzania in CECAFA U-20 final

2021 AFRICA U-20 CUP OF NATIONS QUALIFICATION

After brushing aside Kenya 3-1 earlier on Monday to qualify for the 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, Uganda's under-20 national football side, The Hippos, now know they will face hosts Tanzania in the final of the CECAFA Championship, which acted as the qualification tournament for the Nations Cup.

Tanzania edged South Sudan 1-0, thanks to Kassim Haruna's second-half strike, in the second semi-final of the zonal tournament to set up a final meeting with Uganda, who beat Kenya 3-1 in the first knockout match of the day.

The hosts, who sailed through to the final with a 100 per cent win record, having won all their three games played so far, will go into the home straight as the favorites.

But they were made to work for their slot by a stubborn South Sudan side, who held Uganda to a goalless draw in the group stages.

The Hippos head coach Morley Byekwaso will have been re-energized by his side's determination to reach the final and will no doubt rally his lads to give it their best shot against the home side.

Both finalists have already qualified for the 2021 AFCON U-20 championship and now the battle for the top honours is what remains as their immediate ambition.

Uganda faced a Kenyan side equally determined to make it to the biggest stage of continental under-20 football. But Ivan Bogere's brilliance - a sort of replica of his previous performance - made sure that it was Uganda to take the slot.

Bogere's brace after Kenneth Semakula's opener at the Black Rhino Academy in the district of Karatu helped The Hippos advance to the finals, as well as to the final of the zonal competition, where they had to wait to learn who, between Tanzania and South Sudan, they would face. As it turned out, Tanzania would come out on top.

That was Bogere's second brace in two successive games in the competition after scoring two of Uganda's six goals against Burundi in Group B, which they topped ahead of South Sudan, Burundi and Eritrea.

There were similarities in his goals. His first goal in both games came in the first half and the second goals were both second-half penalities.

Meanwhile, in Monday's game, Enock Wanyama pulled one back for the Kenyans 10 minutes before time, but any sense of an attempt at a comeback was kept at bay as the Ugandan lads held on to progress.

Having knocked Kenya off their perch to qualify for the AFCON U-20 championship due in Mauritania next year, Byekwaso's side will retain their focus on the CECAFA tournament, in the hope that they return home with the double delight of AFCON qualification and the zonal title.

In their way stand defending champions Tanzania, who have enjoyed a flawless campaign. They thrashed Djibouti 6-1 in their opening Group A game, before meting out similar punishment to Somalia with a comprehensive 8-1 victory four days later in the group stages.

Although they had to settle for slim pickings against South Sudan, the hosts scrapped through to complete a blemishless transition to the final, which will take place this Wednesday (December 2) as will the third-place match-up between Kenya and South Sudan.