CECAFA U-20 FINAL: IT'S KENYA'S RISING STARS VS TANZANIA'S NGORONGORO HEROES ON SATURDAY

By Our Correspondent, Gulu UGANDA

Kenya and Tanzania have progressed to the Cecafa Under-20 Challenge Cup final set to be played on October 5 in Gulu, Uganda.

Kenya's Rising Stars had to battle and record a 1-0 win over Eritrea in the second semi-final at Pece War Memorial Stadium in Gulu on Wednesday.

A late own goal by Eritrea defender Yoseif Mebrahtu in the 85th minute is what sealed Kenya's slot in the finals.

Meanwhile, in an earlier encounter, Tanzania's Ngorongoro Heroes managed a 2-1 win over Sudan to book yet another date with Kenya.

The Heroes got their goals in the first half after right-back Israel Patrick Mwenda and Kelvin John scored to hand them a 2-0 lead at half time. Sudan got their lone goal in the second half through Mohamed Abbas Namir.

Stanley Okumbi's side navigated both the group and the knockout stages unbeaten with the only time they dropped points being when they drew 2-2 with their eventual fellow finalist Tanzania during a group encounter.

They won their opening match 5-0 against Zanzibar before playing the last group match with Ethiopia where they emerged with a 5-0 scoreline.

Rising Stars saw off Burundi 2-1 in the quarter-finals.

Tanzania's U-20 team, Ngorongoro Heroes

Tanzania, on the other hand, sailed through the competition until the ultimate stage unbeaten as they finished Group B with seven points after two wins and a draw.

Kenya and Tanzania were level on points, goals scored and conceded but the former finished as the top team courtesy of the fair play rule after they received fewer cards compared to Kenya's.

The Ngorongoro Heroes outmanoeuvred hostd Uganda in their quarter-final match by a 4-2 margin.