Teen Cranes face Tanzania in Cecafa U-17 Women's Championship final

The Ugandan U-17 women’s national football team, dubbed the Teen Cranes, are one step away from defending their Cecafa U-17 Women’s Championship title. They are set to face a formidable challenge from the host nation, Tanzania, in the final match.

The Teen Cranes emerged victorious in the inaugural tournament held in 2019 in Njeru, Uganda. Tanzania, who finished as runners-up in that edition, will be eager to leverage their home advantage this time around.

Uganda secured their spot in the final by defeating Kenya 3-0 in a decisive semi-final clash. First-half goals from Shadia Nabirye and Immaculate Acen, coupled with an own goal from Kenya’s Jael Samiyu late in the game, sealed their victory.

“The morale was good, the confidence was good, and the girls knew the game plan,” stated coach Sheryl Botes, reflecting on the semi-final performance. “We also knew that one goal would not be enough as was the case in the qualifiers. The girls are learning fast and we managed to get three.”

Coach Botes has been diligently preparing her team, having scouted both potential semi-final opponents. Tanzania reached the final by defeating South Sudan 4-0, with Kizanguzi scoring twice.

“Tanzania play with a compact midfield and have three strong skillful midfielders that can keep the ball,” Botes observed. “They are possession-based side and set up differently with two holding midfielders. Those are things we were and will be looking to read to see how we can exploit them.”

The championship final is scheduled for Tuesday at KMC Stadium in Dar-es-Salaam, with the third-place playoff between Kenya and South Sudan taking place earlier.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/sports/soccer/tanzania-stand-between-uganda-and-cecafa-u-17-women-s-title-5505326