Sudan U20 were crowned champions of the 2026 CECAFA U20 AFCON Qualifiers after a nail-biting, extra-time final against host nation Tanzania at the Uhuru Stadium on Thursday. The side took home the trophy after a 4-3 victory in a penalty shootout.
Following a tense and tactically disciplined 90 minutes that ended goalless, the final exploded into life during extra time:
93rd Minute (0-1): Sudan broke the deadlock early in extra time when Omer Hamd Ghanim Ahmed finished off a fine setup from Mutaz Elfaki Elnour Wali.
112th Minute (1-1): Refusing to go down without a fight, hosts Tanzania rallied back with eight minutes left as Abdulnassir Abdallah found the equalizer via a Bashiri Salum Kibaila assist.
With the scores level at 1-1 after 120 demanding minutes, the final moved to penalties, where Sudan kept their composure to seal a 4-3 shootout victory and lift the regional crown.
By reaching the final, both Sudan and Tanzania earned the two regional qualification slots for the upcoming 2026 U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Ghana.
Earlier in the day at the same venue, Uganda beat Burundi 2-0 to secure the tournament’s bronze medal.
