Somalia mustered the biggest upset in the regional U-17 CECAFA tournament after ejecting Uganda Cubs 8-7 on penalties in the semifinal match played Wednesday (October 12) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Somalis, who were the tournament underdogs, shocked the Cubs, the reigning U-17 regional champions, by holding the Ugandans to a 1-1 draw in full time.
In the penalty shoot-out, Arafat Nkoola, who scored thrice for the Cubs in the earlier games against Burundi and South Sudan, missed his kick for the Somalis to advance to the final.
This means Somalia automatically qualifies for the Under-17 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Finals due April 2023 in Algeria.
South Sudan, who also upset Tanzania 4-3 on penalties after a one-all draw in the other semifinal played late Wednesday, will join Somalia as CECAFA’s representatives at the AFCON Finals.
However, on Friday, October 15, Somalia and South Sudan will face off in the final to decide the regional U-17 CECAFA champions.
