Yanga attacking midfielder Juma Abushiri ‘Chuga Boy’ was one of the heroes of Ngorongoro Heroes after scoring the goal that laid the foundation for a 2-0 victory over Burundi, sending Tanzania through to the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations (AFCON U-20).
Ngorongoro Heroes secured qualification after recording the victory in their CECAFA tournament semi-final played at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Tanzania entered the match with one major objective: to win and earn a place in the final while also securing a ticket to the AFCON U-20 tournament.
The opening stages of the match made it clear that Tanzania’s youngsters were prepared for the task. Attacks were repeatedly directed towards Burundi’s goal as the pressure continued to build.
In the 16th minute, Chuga Boy opened the scoring, putting Tanzania ahead with the first goal. The goal sparked huge celebrations at Uhuru Stadium and gave the hosts even greater motivation to search for a second.
Burundi tried to respond, but Ngorongoro Heroes continued to control the game and create several chances.
Those efforts paid off again in the 33rd minute when Faraji Kayanda scored Tanzania’s second goal, sending the hosts into the break with a 2-0 lead.
The second half had a somewhat different complexion, with Burundi increasing its attacks in search of goals to get back into the game. However, Tanzania’s defence remained solid.
Abubakar Nizar ‘Ninju’ and his teammates worked hard to ensure Burundi were not given easy opportunities in front of Tanzania’s goal. Ngorongoro Heroes also continued to fight until the final minutes to protect their advantage.
The victory sent Tanzania through to the AFCON U-20 tournament alongside Sudan, who also secured qualification after defeating Uganda 3-2 in the other semi-final.
The two teams will now meet in the CECAFA U-20 final to determine the tournament champion, with both sides already assured of places at the 2027 AFCON U-20 finals.
