The Uganda U20 Men’s National Football Team, the Hippos, capped off their CECAFA U20 Championship campaign on a high note, securing the bronze medal with a hard-fought victory over Burundi under the scorching sun at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Refusing to let the disappointment of their semi-final exit weigh them down, the Hippos displayed grit and clinical finishing to wrap up third place in the regional tournament.
The Hippos took control of the match in the 22nd minute when Derrick Ssozi opened the scoring. Capitalizing on a sharp assist from Elvis Opakrwoth, Ssozi calmly slotted the ball home to give Uganda a well-deserved lead before the break.
Burundi pushed for an equalizer in the second half, testing the Ugandan backline under tough conditions at Uhuru Stadium. However, Uganda put the game beyond reach in the 80th minute.
Ashiraf Kyakuwa found the back of the net off a brilliant setup by Steven Oyirwoth, double-checking the victory and sealing the third-place finish for the Hippos.
The victory offers a strong response following the team’s narrow 3-2 defeat to Sudan in a chaotic semi-final clash earlier in the week.
Burundi had reached the bronze playoff after falling 2-0 to hosts Tanzania in the second semi-final.
While the primary goal of reaching the tournament final slipped through their fingers, finishing on the podium ensures the Hippos return home to Kampala with silverware and valuable competitive experience for their rising talent.
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With the third-place playoff wrapped up, attention now shifts to the main event at Uhuru Stadium, where tournament hosts Tanzania lock horns with Sudan to determine the champion of the CECAFA U20 Championship.
