A new champion is expected in this year’s CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup when hosts Kenya face Zanzibar in the final match at Machakos stadium.
Zanzibar surprised defending champions Uganda Cranes who finished a man less in the second semi fnal match played at Kisumu stadium today with 2-1 win.
The new champion will be between Kenya’s Harambee Stars and Zanzibar Heroes, who are meeting for the second time in the tournament after they drew 0-0 in the group stages.
Mohammed Isaa Juma scored through a spot kick that ended the 22 year long wait since the Tanzanian Island made it to the final.
The last and only time they played the final was in 1995 in Uganda when they beat the Cranes at home to lift the title.
Uganda were reduced to 10-men after substitute Joseph Nsubuga was shown a straight red card after pulling down Ibrahim Hamad inside the box after a swift counter attack.
Abdul Aziz Makame opened the scoring for Zanzibar in the 23rd minute before Uganda equalized six minutes later through Derrick Nsibambi who scored his fourth goal of the tournament.
Zanzibar opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when Makame tapped the ball home from inside the box after Uganda failed to clear a corner from Mudathir Yahya.
The goal immediately bolted head coach Moses Basena into action, pulling out Sgafiq bakaki who had struggled in his first start of the tournament having been brought in for Awany. In his place, Basena brought in Joseph Nsubuga.
Four minutes on, Uganda drew level when Nsibambi side footed the ball home from the edge of the six yard box after Allan Kyambadde’s cross from the right evaded everyone inside the box.