Ngorongoro Heroes have qualified for the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations (AFCON U-20) after securing a 2-0 victory over Burundi in the semi-final of the CECAFA tournament.
The victory at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam sent Tanzania through to the continental finals alongside Sudan, who also secured their place in the tournament.
Ngorongoro Heroes started the match strongly, with the youngsters showing a clear desire to make an early impact. Tanzania’s pressure was evident from the opening minutes and eventually paid off.
In the 16th minute, Juma Abushiri ‘Chuga Boy’ opened the scoring for Tanzania. The goal sparked huge celebrations among the fans who had turned out to support the team.
After taking the lead, Ngorongoro Heroes did not sit back. They continued to push forward and forced Burundi to play with greater caution.
In the 33rd minute, Faraji Kayanda doubled Tanzania’s lead, sending the team into the break with a two-goal advantage.
Burundi returned for the second half with a plan to change the outcome. The Burundians increased their attacking efforts in search of a goal that could give them hope of getting back into the match.
However, Tanzania remained solid defensively. The backline, led by Abubakar Nizar ‘Ninju’, successfully dealt with Burundi’s attacks and ensured Ngorongoro Heroes’ goal remained untouched.
As the minutes ticked away, Tanzania played with great concentration, protecting its lead until the final whistle.
The 2-0 victory secured Ngorongoro Heroes a place at the 2027 AFCON U-20 finals, marking an important step in the youngsters’ international journey.
Sudan Also Qualify
In the other semi-final, Sudan produced a strong performance to eliminate Uganda with a 3-2 victory.
Uganda took an early lead in the seventh minute through Richard Okello, but Sudan equalised in the 10th minute through Rudwan Yahya Mohamed Ishag.
After the first half ended 1-1, Sudan returned with greater intensity and took the lead in the 47th minute through Mazin Fadul Albahi Taoer.
Taoer became Sudan’s hero after scoring again in the 83rd minute, securing a 3-2 victory and sending his team through to the AFCON U-20 finals.
After the match, Taoer expressed his delight at scoring twice and helping Sudan qualify for the African tournament.
With these results, Tanzania and Sudan have qualified for the 2027 AFCON U-20 finals through the CECAFA tournament, with Ngorongoro Heroes securing their place after an impressive victory over Burundi.
