Uganda waited until extra time to beat Kenya to win the CECAFA under 18 boys title played today at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium, Mambo Leo in Kisumu County.
The Junior Cranes came from a goal down to edge their hosts 2-1 at the finals that had to wait until the extra time following a one-all draw in the normal title to seal the victory.
Syphas Owuor fired Kenya into the lead before Richard Okello leveled in the 78th minute, effectively forcing the encounter into extra time.
Hakim Mutebi was the toast for the visitors, blasting the back of the net just 50 seconds into extra time to get
the crucial goal that separated the two East African behemoths at the full-time whistle.
Junior Stars head coach Salim Babu effected a double substitution, bringing on Aldrine Kibet for Joseph Omuse and Lucas Maina for Humphrey Aroko.
Kenya’s campaign got off to a flying start with a 5-0 thumping of Sudan in Group A.
Three days later, Kenya wrung out a hard-fought 1-0 to edge past Rwanda before thumping Somalia 3-1 in the final group game.
Uganda had sealed the other semifinal berth in an earlier kickoff, following a hard-fought 1-0 over Rwanda,
Abubaker Mayanja’s second-half goal making all the difference at the full-time whistle.
Uganda’s campaign got off to a torrid start with a 1-0 defeat to Tanzania in Group B, with Sharif Wilson scoring the solitary goal. Three days later, the Ugandan lads edged Zanzibar with a feeble 2-1 margin before registering a convincing 2-0 victory over South Sudan. They cruised past Rwanda in the semifinal courtesy of Abubaker Mayanja’s second-half effort.