Uganda, Kenya battle for table summit at Cecafa

Uganda and Kenya are both safely into the semi-finals of the ongoing Cecafa Women Challenge Cup in Dar es Salaam - Tanzania.

Both sides are level on six points and a positive goal difference of 14 after dispatching Ethiopia and debutants Djibouti in Group B.

But there is still a battle for supremacy as each side looks to top the group table in order to avoid favourites, hosts and two time defending champions Tanzania in the semi-finals due Saturday.

Tanzania, also safely in the semis, played Zanzibar yesterday while the other Group A fixture had debutants South Sudan take on Burundi for the other playoffs spot.

In Group B, both Kenya and Uganda will be keen to avoid a draw as they would have to be separated by a toss of a coin as was the case when both Tanzania and Ethiopia finished level on points and goal difference in Group B of the 2016 Cecafa held in Njeru – Jinja.

However, today coach Faridah Bulega will be thinking of how stronger they can get after Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Ethiopia at Chamazi Stadium.

“We need to keep getting better,” said Bulega yesterday.

Uganda have a reason to believe even if their record against Kenya is as dismal as the one they held against Ethiopia prior to Tuesday’s game.

At Cecafa 2016, Uganda lost 4-1 at home to Kenya and last year, the Crested Cranes were ousted 1-0 on aggregate by their neighbours in the east in the Africa Women’s Nations Cup qualifiers.

Uganda, however, reversed the trend when Lillian Mutuuzo’s sole goal ensured a 1-0 win over the Kenyans en route to winning silver at last year’s Cecafa in Rwanda.

Mutuuzo is not in camp due to her education duties but in Fauziah Najjemba, Juliet Nalukenge, Fazilah Ikwaput and Hasifah Nasuuna, Bulega has an attack full of goals that can carry the team to wherever they want in this tournament.