Hippos dare South Sudan to better their Burundi rout
Mugulusi (7) is joined by his teammates to celebrate his second goal in the Uganda Hippos 6-1 mauling of Burundi in Arusha yesterday. PHOTO/COURTESY
South Sudan have ably stood up to Uganda’s football challenge over the past two weeks.
Uganda’s neighbours to the north lost 1-0 in the first leg of the Afcon 2022 qualifier to the Cranes exactly a fortnight ago before avenging the narrow loss with an identical score-line to keep their qualification chances alive four days later.
On Monday, their Under-20 team still emerged the happier side after playing out a goalless draw with their ugandan counterparts who had a player sent off as the two teams faced off in the opening game of Group B of the Afcon under-20 qualifier taking place in Tanzania.
Uganda have now set them another target after thrashing Burundi 6-1 in the former’s second game of the Under-20 tournament played yesterday.
South Sudan will now have to better that result tomorrow when they also get their chance against Burundi in the final game of the group. Uganda will in the meantime stay favourites to progress as leaders with South Sudan appearing goal-shy despite the Hippos playing more than an hour with 10 players from their Monday meeting.
Morely Byekwaso’s charges came alive yesterday getting a brace each from Ivan Bogere and Isma Mugulusi before further goals from Najib Yiga and substitute Joseph Bukenya sealed a dominant display.
The leaders from each of the three groups alongside the best second placed team will qualify for the semifinals with the finalists proceeding to the final Afcon under-20 tournament.
