CECAFA U20 Championships
Uganda 1-1 Eritrea
Pece Stadium, Gulu
Saturday, 21-09-2019
The Uganda men’s under 20 side, the Hippos were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw in their opening game of the CECAFA U20 Championships.
In a game that was clearly dominated by Uganda, Morley Byekwaso’s side could only find the back of the net once through Proline FC striker Ivan Bogere.
Bogere who started up-front with Sadat Anaku, poked a lose ball into the net after Eritrea failed to clear their lines following Justin Opiro’s routine cross into the area.
The visitors replied through Suleiman Ibrahim despite playing on the back foot for large spells.
Just like Bogere, Ibrahim lashed into a un-guarded net with Hippos’ defence in sixes and sevens.
With Sudan walloping Djibouti 4-0 in the first game, the Hippos are now third on the Group A log, level on points with second placed Eritrea.
Their next game will be against Djibouti on Tuesday, September 24th.
Wasteful Hippos can not get the job done
Having put six goals past Busoga United in one of their two build up games leading to the tournament, Uganda was expected to make light weight of Eritrea.
However, that would not be the case as they kept on wasting one chance after the other.
Despite Eritrea coming out hard and taking the game to Uganda in the early exchanges, it was the Hippos who created the first chance as Sadat Anaku’s effort brushed off the keeper and out for just a corner after the custodian had spilled Justine Opiro’s shot.
Midfielder Hassan Ssenyonjo then dragged an effort wide from inside the area after he pounced onto a loose ball in the Eritrea box.
Anaku then saw an effort deflected onto the roof of the net.
It was then Yiga Najib’s turn to try his luck after he found himself one-on-one with the keeper but his weak effort could not bare any worthy fruits.
Anaku who is the record Junior League top scorer headed straight at the keeper off a Joseph Kafumbe cross.
With time running out, Ssenyonjo failed to keep his hard-shot down after he was teed up by Kafumbe.
Substitute Steven Sserwadda also shot over from a rebound after Anaku’s shot proved too hot to handle for the Eritrea custodian.
The Hippos made three changes in the game with Isam Mugulusi, Ivan Asaba and Sserwadda replacing Najib, Anaku and Kafumbe respectively.
The Hippos starting XI
Denis Otim (1), Justine Opiro (17), Aziz Abdul Kayondo (3), Derrick Kiggundu (13), Gavin Kizito (5), Kenneth Semakula (4), Hassan Ssenyonjo (12), Joseph Kafumbe (14), Najib Yiga (7), Sadat Happy Anaku (10), Ivan Bogere (9)
Substitutes
Jack Komakech (18), Patrick Mubiru (19), Kevin Ssekimbegge (2), Robert Kitabalwa (16), Steven Sserwadda (8), Isma Mugulusi (15), Ivan Asaba (11), Sadam Masereka (20)
The other game played on Saturday
-Burundi 3-3 South Sudan
