U17 Total CAF AFCON Zonal Qualifiers
Semi final Matches (December 20, 2020)
- Uganda vs. Djibouti (12pm)
- Tanzania vs Ethiopia (3:00pm)
At Umuganda stadium, Rubavu – Rwanda
The youngsters of Uganda National football team of U17, the Cubs yet again smeared their name all over here in Rubavu, Rwanda when they crashed determined Ethiopia to a 3-0 loss.
This means Uganda qualifies to next round as as pool A toppers and will face second positioned team in pool B which is Djibouti in this regard.
Of course, Djibouti fought their lungs out to the final whistle to make it to the semi finals as their closest rival Rwanda were in the waiting-mode to learn their feat from of the results between Tanzania and Djibouti a game that ended in a one all draw seeing both of team through.
Uganda faces Djibouti knowing there is nothing like messing up or demeaning their opponent given the stature and the magnitude of the game if they are to qualify for U17 AFCON finals in Morocco next year.
They know a win against Djibouti sees them through to the finals and this will give Uganda a thousand reasons to treat this game as a game of their life with utmost attention and care.
Head coach Hamuza Lutalo is never scared though he will approach the opponents with respect but not fear them.
Lutalo disclosed; ‘We qualified with flying performances to semifinals but that alone doesn’t guarantee us a spot in 2021 AFCON finals, no, Djibouti’s game will and therefore its a game of our life and I have told players. We shall approach our opponent with due respect but not fear them. We shall have to attack and attack so as we score goals. Goals will make us qualify, there no other formula to that by the way.’
Uganda has by far been a free scoring team in the ongoing Caf U17 Zonal qualifiers so far netting eight and conceding none in the two group matches they played.
The 5-0 against Kenya and then beating Ethiopia 3-0.
Djibouti though, drew both games 0-0 against Rwanda in their first group game and then a one all draw against Tanzania.
Uganda has a rich stand against their compatriots Djibouti.
In 2018 in AFCON U17 Zonal Qualifiers – CECAFA Zone in Tanzania, Uganda beat Djibouti 8-0 a performance they have to replicate to see the team through to the finals of the tournament.
The tournament is being used to get the two Cecafa regional representatives who will play in the U17 CAF finals that will be held in Morocco in July next year.
Uganda is looking at making a back-to-back qualification after playing in the past one that was held in Tanzania in 2018.
