UGANDA CUBS & TANZANIA SEAL AFCON SPOTS, SET FOR CECAFA FINAL
The Uganda Cubs secured their spot at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 AFCON 2026 by dominating Ethiopia 3-0. They now face Tanzania in the CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers Final.
Uganda's youth team, the Uganda Cubs, are heading back to the big stage at the TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations in 2026!
They grabbed their spot by beating host country Ethiopia 3-0 in the CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers semifinal this past Sunday at Abebe Bikila Stadium.
Coach Laryea Kingston was very pleased with the team's achievement of their initial goal.
I'm happy we reached our first target, which was to get to the AFCON U-17. "Now we are aiming to win the whole thing," he said.
He added, Winning is great, and getting here is great, but what's most important is that our players grow and learn to play the right way.
Uganda scored all three goals in the second half. Lorian Lwesibawa kicked things off in the 52nd minute, firing a shot after Uganda kept the pressure on Ethiopia's defence. Just two minutes later, Thomas Ogema calmly scored to make it 2-0. Lwesibawa later scored again in the 78th minute with a beautiful free kick, sealing the deal.
Kingston has been building a team around key players like Captain Owen Mukisa (Seth Soccer Academy), Thomas Ogema (KCCA), Travor Mubiru (Vipers Junior Team), Henry Muhoozi (Amus College School), Arnold Kayemba (El Cambio), and Ismail Fahad (KCCA FC).
Earlier that day, Tanzania became the first CECAFA nation to make it to the tournament, defeating Kenya 3-1 in the first semifinal match.
Tanzania survived an early scare when goalkeeper Haji Ally Abdallah blocked a penalty kick from Saidi Makangila after he fouled Derrick Muchiti Obote. Tanzania then took the lead with goals from Nhingo Juma in the 19th minute and Luqman Ally in the 30th.
Kenya got one back in the 84th minute through Armstrong Omondi, but Soann Shabani, who came off the bench, scored a third goal for Tanzania late in the game.
With the semifinal wins, Uganda joins Tanzania as CECAFA representatives. The winner of the third-place match will get the region's final spot.
Uganda will now play Tanzania in the final on Tuesday, 2nd, at 3:30 pm at the Abebe Bikila Stadium.
This is a rematch of the group-stage game that Tanzania won 2-1. It's also a rematch of last year’s final, which Uganda won 2-1 at Nakivubo Stadium with goals from Arafat Nkoola and James Bogere.
Uganda, as the current CECAFA U17 champions, will be working hard to defend its title.
KCCA BOUNCE BACK: KASASIRO BOYS OVERCOME RECENT SLUMP WITH A GRITTY 2-1 BUL WIN
KCCA are back: Discover how Ivan Ahimbisibwe and Herbert Achai secured a 2-1 win over Bul to rejoin the UPL title race.
Ivan Ahimbisibwe and Herbert Achai both found the net for KCCA, either side of a Denis Sewagudde goal, in a win that really should let coaches Ssenyondo and Jackson Magera breathe a little easier.
Zeal. Hunger. Character. Attitude. That’s what KCCA coach Brian Ssenyondo wanted to see after his team got handed their third loss in five games last week, a 3-1 defeat to NEC that stung. This time, he finally got it. KCCA showed all those qualities and pulled off a gritty 2-1 victory over Bul in the Uganda Premier League at Phillip Omondi Stadium on Wednesday night.
Ahimbisibwe and Achai scored for KCCA, with Sewagudde briefly levelling for Bul, and the result means Ssenyondo and Magera can at least feel the pressure lift for now.
But maybe more importantly, this win drags KCCA back into the title race. They’re now sitting on 33 points from 17 games, just five behind leaders Vipers.
The game started off tight, both sides feeling each other out, but Bul looked a little sharper early on. Even so, it was KCCA who broke the deadlock in the 31st minute with their first real chance. They overloaded the right, Saidi Mayanja whipped in a cross, and Ahimbisibwe, timing his run just right, dived in for a header. That’s his seventh goal of the season, and honestly, he’s been one of the few bright spots among the club’s new signings.
KCCA then had to dig in. Achai made a crucial block to deny Karim Ndugwa after a cross from Reagan Kalyowa. But just before halftime, the tricky Sewagudde bent in a free kick that completely wrong-footed KCCA keeper Mutwalibi Mugolofa, and Bul were level.
After the break, KCCA rediscovered their missing edge. Four minutes into the second half, left-back Achai stormed forward, played a quick one-two with Ashraf Mugume, then hammered the ball past Bul’s Ikara at the near post.
From there, KCCA held Bul at bay, sealing a rare home-and-away double over their Njeru-based rivals, who remain eighth on 20 points.
Earlier that day, Lugazi captain Richard Ayiko grabbed the winner as his side edged UPDF 1-0 in Najjembe, giving them a six-point cushion above the relegation zone. And at the bottom, Calvary finally picked up their fifth point of the season with a goalless draw against Express in Yumbe.
TITLE RACE HEAT: HOW VIPERS DROPPING HOME POINTS GIVES KITARA A CHANCE TO STRIKE
Vipers SC stay top of the UPL with 38 points! Discover how Warren Buule’s equaliser for NEC FC shook up the title race at Kitende.
NEC are stuck in seventh place with 24 points from 17 games. Vipers, even after dropping home points for just the second time this season, hang on to the top spot with 38.
Honestly, NEC have drawn more games than they'd like, nine out of 17. That’s a lot of stalemates in the Startimes Uganda Premier League. But this time, their 1-1 draw away to the reigning champs, Vipers, felt like more than just another point. It actually meant something, especially under the lights at St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende on Tuesday evening.
Vipers came out flying. They grabbed the lead early and pretty much ran the first half. Six minutes in, Milton Karisa latched onto a slick through ball from Karim Watambala and curled a lovely left-footed shot past NEC keeper Hannington Ssebwalunyo. That was Karisa’s sixth goal of the season, and for a minute there, it looked like the Vipers were about to run riot, just like they did in their 4-0 demolition of Buhimba last time at home.
NEC looked shaky. Coach Badru Kaddu had seen enough and made two early changes, bringing on Shamir Kimwero and Joseph Dhata for Rashid Kawawa and Daniel Shabene inside 25 minutes. The switch helped steady things, but NEC didn’t really come to life until the second half.
Then, with 15 minutes left, substitute Emmanuel Kulanga swung in a cross, and Warren Buule was there at the far post to head in the equaliser. That goal was well earned; NEC were much better after the break. Richard Basangwa, playing up front, kept his old team busy and even got Bady Da Silva and Enoch Ssebagala booked. Ssebagala didn’t last much longer, getting subbed off after a rough tackle on his former side.
NEC has been busy in the mid-season transfer window. They’ve already added six new faces, and more are on the way. Sam Ssekamatte, who scored five goals for UPDF in the first round, watched from the stands with the rest of the unused squad.
So, NEC holds on to seventh, Vipers stay top, but Kitara could shake things up if they beat URA on Thursday. This title race isn’t done yet.
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