Tanzania’s U-20 football team, the Ngorongoro Boys, emerged victorious in the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) CECAFA Zonal Qualifiers, defeating Kenya 2-1 in the final played at the KMC Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.
After a tightly contested, goalless first half, Kenya broke the deadlock just three minutes into the second period through Hassan Kitsao.
The forward latched onto a perfectly timed through pass from Aldrine Kibet, calmly slotting the ball past Tanzanian goalkeeper Anthony Mpemba.
The home side responded by increasing their attacking intensity, eventually capitalizing on a defensive error by the Kenyan backline.
Valentino Kusengama, who had been a standout player throughout the tournament, netted his fifth goal of the competition in the 64th minute, bringing the Ngorongoro Boys level.
With the momentum shifting in Tanzania’s favour, the hosts pressed hard, denying Kenya any space to create opportunities.
Their persistence paid off in the 82nd minute when Sheikhan Khamis unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box, beating Kenya’s goalkeeper to give Tanzania a 2-1 lead.
The stadium erupted in celebration as the final whistle blew, securing Tanzania’s win and a place in the upcoming AFCON U-20.
The victory was particularly sweet for Tanzania, as it avenged their 2-1 loss to Kenya during the group stages of the tournament.
Tanzania captain Elias Lameck expressed pride in the team’s performance, stating, “We are proud to lift the national flag high and qualify for the AFCON U-20. We thank all Tanzanians for their support.”
In the earlier third-place playoff, Uganda Hippos overcame a 1-0 deficit to defeat Burundi 3-1.
Burundi’s Ramazani Hakizimana opened the scoring just five minutes into the game, but Uganda equalised on the stroke of halftime through substitute Abubakali Walusimbi.
The second half belonged to Uganda’s John Dembe, who scored twice to secure victory and the bronze medal for his country, and a top scorer accolade for his own
The tournament concluded with an award ceremony where Tanzania received the championship trophy and gold medals, while Kenya and Uganda took home silver and bronze medals, respectively.
