By URN
Uganda’s national U-20 football team, the Hippos, is gearing up to face hosts Tanzania in the semifinals of the CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers for the 2025 TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The highly anticipated clash is scheduled for Friday.
Tanzania secured their semifinal spot after finishing second in Group A. Uganda, meanwhile, topped Group B last week with seven points, guaranteeing their place in the semifinals as they awaited the runner-up from Group A as their opponent.
According to tournament rules, only the two finalists will qualify to represent the CECAFA region at next year’s AFCON U-20 competition. The Hippos are now just one victory away from booking their ticket to the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking to the media earlier, Uganda’s head coach, Matia Lule, expressed that his top priority is to guide the Hippos to AFCON, as the two finalists automatically earn places in the final tournament.
If Uganda wins Tanzania, it will mark the third consecutive qualification for the Ugandan juniors at the U-20 AFCON, where they have previously excelled, reaching the final in the last two editions.
Lule now faces the challenge of upholding the Hippos’ strong reputation, especially in the CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers, where they are defending champions after winning the previous edition.
However, Lule remains confident in his team’s performance so far, having advanced to the semifinals unbeaten. The Hippos secured victories against Ethiopia and Burundi before drawing with South Sudan in their final group match.
After their 4-1 win over Burundi, Lule, who had previously voiced concerns over the team’s performance despite a 3-0 victory against Ethiopia in the opening match, noted that the team is making progress towards his tactical expectations.
On the other side, Tanzania’s U-20 head coach, Charles Boniface Mkwasa, is well aware of the significance of the upcoming fixture. To him, it’s like a final, as a victory would secure Tanzania a place at AFCON. Nevertheless, he remains mindful of Uganda’s dominance at this level and is approaching the game with caution.
“We are now focusing on the semi-final which I think it’s a final because if you get a result, we are going to represent Tanzania in AFCON. So, we are ready for that. We respect Uganda, we go there with full respect by knowing that Uganda is a very strong side,” he said
