Ranking matches
Wednesday, July 28
*Ethiopia Vs DR Congo, 11:45
*Eritrea Vs Uganda, 2pm
3rd place and Final
Friday, July 30
*Losers Match: South Sudan Vs Kenya
*Final: Tanzania vs Burundi
Uganda and Eritrea face off on Tuesday in a ranking game to determine who finishes fifth at the ongoing CECAFA U23 tournament.
The Uganda Kobs who failed to make it to the semifinal after finishing second in group A, beat DR Congo in Monday’s placement match to reach this stage.
Najib Yiga scored the only goal of the game as the two sides met again in this tournament.
Yiga, after an interchange with Steven Mukwala, launched a ferocious effort from a tight angle that found its way into the net underneath the crossbar at the stroke of halftime.
For Uganda, it was a generally improved performance from the first meeting between the two sides that ended goalless and the one-all draw with Tanzania in the last group match.
The victory meant that Uganda will go head to head with Eritrea who beat Ethiopia 3-2 in penalty shootouts after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Ali Suleiman Ibrahim had put Eritrea in front but the side was pegged back when Abubaker Nasir Ahmed levelled matters for the hosts to force shootouts.
Eritrea goalkeeper Haile Kibrom Solom saved two penalties before scoring the winner.
“Eritrea is a good team, they are strong and in the U20 Cup in 2019 in Gulu we played out a draw,” Uganda Kobs coach Morley Byekwaso stated.
“They see each other, they maintain their norm but we also have our nature and character and we have our own style of play.
“So we need to continue building again this team so that we can win our last game with Eritrea in order to get a better ranking.”
In the first placement game, Ethiopia face DR Congo with the winner finishing seventh overall.
How To Watch – The match will be broadcast live on Azam Sports 2
Uganda Probable Lineup – Charles Lukwago, Enock Walusimbi, Aziz Kayondo, Gavin Kizito Mugweri, Peter Magambo, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Steven Sserwadda, Salim Abdallah, Derrick Kakooza, Ivan Bogere, Najib Yiga.
