What you need to know:
The team coach Morley Byekwaso was recruited just two weeks to the tourney and he too lacked concentration in the build-up to the team’s biggest test against Tanzania last Sunday.
The writing was on the wall that Uganda, the hosts of the Cecafa U-20 Challenge Cup were bound not to go far.
The team coach Morley Byekwaso was recruited just two weeks to the tourney and he too lacked concentration in the build-up to the team’s biggest test against Tanzania last Sunday. The Hippos were massacred 4-2 by a rampant Tanzania side as Byekwaso, who had travelled back to Gulu from KCCA Caf assignment on Friday, looked on haplessly. Even in the group stages were Uganda was held by Sudan and Eritrea, the Hippos flattered to deceive although key players like Ivan Bogere and Steven Sserwadda occasionally stood up to rescue the team with goals.
When it mattered most at the quarterfinal stage, wobbly defending and a suspect team selection cost the hosts a semifinal spot after they went down with ease at Pece War Memorial Stadium in Gulu.
Tanzania’s goals were scored by Albert Simchimba and Kelvin John who both struck braces while the Hippos goals were scored by Aziz Kayondo. “We had a poor start that was worsened by the rain. Our players were shorter compared the Tanzanians, who were towering and always shot at our goal,” Byekwaso said after the elimination that now leaves Tanzania on the title brink.
“Our goalkeeper (Jack Komakech) was poor at judgment because he should have saved some goals,” he added. Eight goals in four matches manifested the team’s awful defence worsened by Byekwaso’s last minute decision to drop first choice goalkeeper Denis Otim for Komakech.
In other quarterfinals matches, 1999 champions Kenya came from behind to oust Burundi 2-1 while Eritrea jumped into the semifinals after deflating Zanzibar 5-0. Sudan derby between Sudan and South Sudan ended 1-0 in the former’s favour. Kenya and Tanzania are on course of clashing in the finals if the former beat Eritrea at Njeru today.
