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Ismail Fahad cerebrates after scoring for Uganda
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Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
The national U17 men’s football team coach, Layrea Kingston, has hailed his players for having put up a good show in the 2-1 loss to rivals Tanzania.
The Uganda Cubs lost their first Group B game of the ongoing Total Energies Men’s U17 CECAFA region qualifiers at Dire Dawa Stadium, Ethiopia, but head coach Kingston expressed satisfaction.
He said this is the team he had to gather in a hurry, a few days after signing a contract with the Uganda local football governing body, FUFA, with the regional qualifiers at the door and when Uganda had already qualified a team for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
He said his boys have kept showing maturity and perfect learning from the teachings of the technical team led by himself, and the Friday show against Tanzania was a testimony that the future is brighter.
Striker Ismail Fahad had given the Uganda side an early lead when he picked himself up to convert from the penalty mark after he was fouled in the area, in the first 15 minutes in which Uganda had dominated the pace.
Ismail Fahad cerebrates after scoring for Uganda
However, Dismas Athanasi equalised before halftime, and then second-half substitute Soann Shabani found the winner after the hour mark. Kingston’s side kept dominating the tempo but were shy on goal as they created more chances, while the Tanzanians remained composed.
Shakur Ngobi, Abdulshakur Babi, Brian Olwa, Arnold Kakyemba, and Ashraf Kyakuwa all came on for Travor Mubiru, Owen Mukisa, Thomas Ogema, Lorian Lwesibawa, and Nickolas Kawooya, but Uganda could not find the equaliser.
The win gives Tanzania 9 points from 3 games, an upper hand as table leaders, with the last group match against Burundi, while Uganda will complete the semifinal berth in second if they beat Djibouti on November 27.
Torch Media Africa
