Tanzania’s Under-20 national team, Ngorongoro Heroes, stormed into the semifinals of the CECAFA U20 AFCON qualifiers after thrashing Ethiopia 4-0.
The victory was secured on Saturday, September 19, 2026, in a Group A match played at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam, allowing Tanzania to finish the group stage at the top with six points.
Kibaila Turns on the Heat
Ngorongoro Heroes started the match strongly, searching for a victory that would be crucial to their campaign to defend their place in the U20 AFCON tournament.
After several minutes of searching for an opening goal, Bashiri Salum Kibaila opened the scoring in the 30th minute after following up on a rebound off Ethiopia’s right goalpost.
Ethiopia attempted to respond, but Tanzania continued to pose a threat. Just minutes before half-time, Kibaila struck again, scoring his second goal to send Tanzania into the break with a 2-0 lead.
Sagwe Finishes the Job in the Second Half
The second half began with Tanzania continuing to attack Ethiopia’s goal.
In the 53rd minute, Juma Sagwe scored Tanzania’s third goal, increasing the pressure on Ethiopia.
It did not end there.
Just two minutes later, Sagwe scored again to complete the four-goal haul for Tanzania, with Ngorongoro Heroes now leading 4-0.
Overall, Tanzania scored all four goals through two players:
Tanzania Finish Top of Group A
The victory over Ethiopia saw Tanzania finish top of Group A with six points after winning both of their matches.
In their opening match, Ngorongoro Heroes defeated Rwanda 3-0 before maintaining their momentum with a 4-0 victory over Ethiopia.
As a result, Tanzania scored seven goals without conceding in their two group-stage matches.
Tanzania to Face Burundi in Semifinal
With the group stage now complete, Tanzania will face Burundi in the semifinal on Tuesday, September 22.
Burundi also reached the semifinals with a perfect record after winning both of their Group C matches against South Sudan and Kenya.
The other semifinal will see Uganda face Sudan.
According to CAF, the three group winners and the best-ranked second-placed team qualified for the semifinals.
Final Offers U20 AFCON Ticket
These matches carry significance beyond the pursuit of the CECAFA title.
According to CAF, the two teams that reach the final will represent the CECAFA region at the 2027 U20 AFCON finals in Ghana.
Ngorongoro Heroes are therefore just two steps away from achieving that objective.
A victory over Burundi would send them into the final and put them directly in contention for qualification to the U20 AFCON.
