Uganda Hippos gobble Tunisia to reach maiden Afcon final

Uganda’s fairytale run at the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) continued after they thrashed Tunisia 4-1 to storm the final against Ghana this Saturday.

Derrick Kakooza was the star of the show scoring a hattrick with Richard Basangwa getting the other goal for the Hippos who are featuring at this stage for the first time. 

But they have rarely shown any nervousness at the 12-team tournament and were dominant throughout after taking a fourth minute lead through Basangwa.

 The burly forward showed tremendous skill to lift the ball over Tunisian defender Mohamed Aziz before steadying himself to send a thunderous drive past goalkeeper Elias Damergy. 

He then set up the second goal and Kakooza’s first on 36 minutes after beating Marc Lamti for pace and power before     squaring the ball for a simple tap in. 

The Hippos could soon have been three goals up if the referee had not adjudged a trip on Steven Sserwadda as a dive in the penalty box. 

And the Tunisians soon received a further boost when Adam Lamine halved the deficit, bundling the ball home from a corner two minutes before the half time break.  

Such was the Hippos superiority however that they remained composed and added a third goal five minutes after the break when Kakooza brilliantly connected with Bobosi Byaruhanga’s wonderfully lofted pass to loop the ball over Damergy with a header.

 He then completed his hattrick and his fifth goal of the tournament after being put through by substitute Ivan Bogere with his side foot finish squeezing under goalkeeper   Damergy. 

Morley Byekwaso’s charges will now play Ghana in the final on Saturday after the West Africans edged Gambia 1-0 courtesy of  Percious Boah’s third goal of the campaign. 

Uganda Hippos XI: Jack Komakech (GK), Gavin Kizito (C), Musa Ramathan, Kenneth Semakula, Bobsi Byaruhanga, Isma Mugulusi, Steven Sserwadda, Richard Basangwa, Najib Yiga and Derrick Kakooza