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After defeating the defending champions Uganda, Zanzibar’s U15 Boys National Football Team were crowned the 2023 CECAFA U15 Championship winners.
The two sides came into Thursday’s final unbeaten. Zanzibar maintained the feat thanks to a 4-3 victory in the penalty shootouts following a 1-1 draw after regular time at FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru.
Lukman Omar opened the scoring for Zanzibar in the 19th minute before Ibra Ssebagala equalized for Uganda in the 30th minute.
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Both teams played out to a barren stalemate in the second stanza, requiring post-match penalties to determine the winner on the day.
Uganda missed two penalty kicks by Ronald Kigoye and Ratib Gulanyago, while Zanzibar’s Fahad Hassan could not convert from 12 yards.
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Zanzibar became the second nation to win this competition after Uganda, which won the inaugural tournament in Eritrea in 2019.
Meanwhile, Tanzania emerged as the second runners-up after edging the ten-man side of South Sudan 1-0 in the third-place playoff final.
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Uganda Rhinos’ Owen Mukisa was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament (MVP), whereas South Sudan’s Lazarus Peter George was the top scorer with eight goals.
How the teams lined up
Uganda: Edrisah Waibi (GK), Samuel Mubiru, Ratib Gulanyago, Abubakali Walusimbi©️, Simon Wanyama, Richard Okello, Pius Oyirwoth, Owen Mukisa, Ibra Ssebagala, Ronald Kigoye, Enock Bagenda
Substitutes: Ashraf Lukyamuzi (GK), Moses Kasule, Tom Ssessazi, Musa Akbar, Frank Ssekanjako, Arafat Nkoola, Disan Mwebe, Thomas Ogema, Abdulshakur Babi
Zanzibar: Mahir Amour (GK), Ashraf Othman, Mwinyi Hassan, AbdulNassir Makarani, Lukman Omar, Mohamed Nasser, Saleh Mbarouk, AndulHafidh Salmin, Mohamed Mohamed ©️, Hussein Mbegu, Hassan Iddi
Substitutes: Nassir Hassan (GK), Mohamed Shaaban, Abdallah Mohd, Abdulbasit Abdulrahman, Adam Shaaban, Khamis Mbarouk, Fahad Khamis, Fahad Hassan, Fasbir Ramadhan