U-17 World Cup dream alive

Bad blood: Goal scorer Ivan Asaba (left) keeps a Tanzanian opponent in check during yesterday’s game. PHOTO BY MWANASPOTI

What you need to know:

  • The top two teams in the two groups of four qualify for the semi-finals as well as the World Cup that is expected to be held in October in Brazil. Angola though are still second in Group A courtesy of their win over the Cubs and will qualify if they beat Tanzania in their final game.

Kampala. The national Under-17 team, revived their hopes of a first ever World Cup finals appearance with a 3-0 demolition of hosts Tanzania at the 2019 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations yesterday.

The Cubs had been in danger of becoming the first team to be eliminated at the eight team tournament after a 1-0 loss to Angola.

But they ensured it is the hosts, who also lost their opening game5-4 to Nigeria, whose qualification hopes are now hanging by a thread, after a well-executed performance.

Andrew Kawooya scored the opening goal for the Cubs on 15 minutes, tapping in at the far post after a cross-shot from Najib Yiga who tormented the Tanzanian defence all evening with his pace.
Ivan Asaba then rifled home the second after being allowed time to control the ball in the box as the Cubs rattled the Tanzanians whose senior side had defeated the Cranes last month in an Afcon qualifier.

Yiga then added the third goal his performance deserved with a flicked header off a Justine Opiro delivery in a second half in which the Cubs wasted several goal scoring chances on the break. Substitute Idd Abdulwahid was the guiltiest either choosing to shoot when a teammate was better placed or forcing saves from the Tanzanian goalkeeper.

The Cubs now need to beat Nigeria in their final game on Saturday after the latter sealed their qualification with a 1-0 win over Angola that took them to six points.

The top two teams in the two groups of four qualify for the semi-finals as well as the World Cup that is expected to be held in October in Brazil. Angola though are still second in Group A courtesy of their win over the Cubs and will qualify if they beat Tanzania in their final game.

Caf U17 Championships

Nigeria 1-0 Angola
Uganda 3-0 Tanzania
Saturday, 4pm
Nigeria vs Uganda
Tanzania vs Angola

Group l standings

Team P W D L F A Pts
Nigeria 2 2 0 0 6 4 6
Angola 2 1 0 1 1 1 3
Uganda 2 1 0 1 3 1 3
Tanzania 2 0 0 2 4 8 0