Tanzania's Ngorongoro Heroes are set to face Burundi in the semi-final of the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations CECAFA qualifiers. The match is scheduled to take place at Uhuru Stadium, with the hosts seeking to maintain their perfect record and secure a place in next year's continental finals. A win for either team will earn qualification for the 2027 U-20 AFCON finals in Ghana. The match kicks off at 4pm, with the other semi-final between Uganda and Sudan starting at 12:30pm at the same venue.
Tanzania booked their place in the last four after topping Group A with six points from two matches, scoring seven goals without conceding. The Ngorongoro Heroes opened their campaign with a 3-0 victory over Rwanda before brushing aside Ethiopia 4-0 in their second match. Bashiri Salum Kibaila scored twice against Ethiopia, while Juma Sagwe also struck twice to complete a convincing group-stage campaign for the hosts.
Burundi have also been impressive in the tournament, winning both of their Group C matches without conceding. They began with a 4-0 victory over South Sudan before defeating Kenya 2-0, with captain Amini Nshimirimana scoring both goals to take his tournament tally to four. The Burundians have scored six goals in two matches and kept clean sheets in both, making their clash with Tanzania a meeting between two unbeaten sides with strong defensive records.
Uganda topped Group B with six points after beating Djibouti 4-1 and Sudan 1-0, while Sudan advanced to the semi-finals after finishing second. The two sides met on Saturday, when Uganda claimed a 1-0 victory through Amour Munogera’s second-half goal. Uganda captain Richard Okello said the previous encounter had given his side a better understanding of Sudan ahead of the semi-final.
For Tanzania, the Burundi match offers an opportunity to return to the U-20 AFCON finals while keeping alive their hopes of retaining the regional crown. Coach Mario Rivera Campesino will look to his players to maintain the defensive discipline that has seen them concede no goals so far, while improving their finishing against a Burundi side that has also kept two clean sheets.
With both teams unbeaten, the semi-final is expected to provide a stern test for the Ngorongoro Heroes as they pursue a place in the continental finals and another CECAFA title. The match will be a meeting between two teams with strong defensive records, and a win will earn Tanzania a spot in the final of the regional competition.
The winners of both semi-finals will earn qualification for the 2027 U-20 AFCON finals in Ghana. The Ngorongoro Heroes are seeking to build on their impressive group-stage campaign, while Burundi will look to continue their unbeaten run in the tournament. The semi-final match between Tanzania and Burundi is set to be a closely contested encounter.
Key points
- Tanzania's Ngorongoro Heroes are seeking to maintain their perfect record in the tournament.
- A win for either team will earn qualification for the 2027 U-20 AFCON finals in Ghana.
- The semi-final match between Tanzania and Burundi is set to be a closely contested encounter between two unbeaten sides.
