Tanzania inflict more pain on Crested Cranes

For three consecutive editions now, Tanzania have provided the knockout blow in Uganda’s quest for glory in the Cecafa Women Challenge Cup.
On Sunday, the latest episode of that painful run was played out at Chamazi Stadium in Dar es Salaam - Tanzania where the hosts’ captain Asha Rashid scored a stoppage time winner to oust the Crested Cranes 1-0 in the semi-finals.
Two time winners Tanzania dominated proceedings for most of the match but Uganda, whose defensive strength, had been showered by the presence of Aisha Namukisa, were proving impenetrable.
Uganda started the tournament well with an array of attacking options starting; Riticia Nabbosa, Hasifah Nassuna, Juliet Nalukenge, Zainah Namuleme, Fauzia Najjemba and Fazila Ikwaput all started in the 13-0 and 1-0 Group B win over Djibouti and Ethiopia.
Namuleme was, however, dropped in the 3-0 loss to Kenya in the final group game as coach Faridah Bulega, tried to strengthen her defence with the re-introduction of left-back Grace Aluka. Aluka was exposed and withdrawn after 39 minutes that day. Her place against Tanzania was taken by centre-back Namukisa.
The hosts, however, kept to their expansive and fast-paced approach to the game till it paid at the death.
This looked all too familiar. In 2016, Tanzania beat Uganda 4-1 in the semi-finals of this Cup in Njeru.
Last year in Rwanda, the tourney was played out in a round-robin format.
And while Tanzania started with a loss to the hosts and draw with Kenya, they got back into groove with a 4-1 win over Uganda to win the championship on goal difference - at the expense of the Crested Cranes.
Crested Cranes meet Burundi in today’s third place play-offs before Kenya face off with Tanzania in a repeat of the 2016 final. Tanzania edged that one 1-0.