The Uganda Hippos’ journey at the 2026 CECAFA U-20 Championship came to a painful halt on Tuesday after falling to a narrow 3-2 defeat against a resolute Sudan side in an end-to-end semifinal clash at the Uhuru Stadium.
Despite a fiery performance, the defeat means Uganda misses out on both a place in the regional final and direct qualification for the upcoming TotalEnergies U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ghana.
Later in the day, hosts Tanzania put on a dominant show in front of their home crowd, brushing aside Burundi 2-0 in the second semifinal.
The result sets up a high-stakes championship clash between Tanzania and Sudan on Thursday at the same venue.
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Both Tanzania and Sudan have now officially punched their tickets to represent the CECAFA zone at the U-20 AFCON finals in Ghana.While the ultimate goal slipped away, Uganda’s campaign isn’t over just yet.
The Hippos will return to the pitch at the Uhuru Stadium to square off against Burundi in the third-place playoff, aiming to finish their tournament on a high note.
