Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup: Uganda rally to claim third place

Burund's Tresor Ndikumana (left) vies for the ball with Uganda Cranes forward Nelson Senkatuka during the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup third place play-off match on December 17, 2017 at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

What you need to know:

  • Uganda will now go home Sh1 million for finishing third.
  • A second half brace from Kampala City Council Authority’s (KCCA) midfielder Saddam Juma saved Moses Basena’s chrages the blushes after Pierre Kwizera had given Burundi a 23rd minute opener.

Uganda Cranes won’t go home empty handed after the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup holders rallied from behind to edge out Burundi 2-1 in the third place play-off match at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos County on Sunday.

A second half brace from Kampala City Council Authority’s (KCCA) midfielder Saddam Juma saved Moses Basena’s chrages the blushes after Pierre Kwizera had given Burundi a 23rd minute opener.

The first 20 minutes barely produced any threat from either side. But Cranes shifted gears with Burundi goalkeeper Jonathan Nahimana struggling to keep out crosses by Isaac Muleme on the left flank thereafter.

Kwizera broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute with his second goal of the tourney, thanks to goalkeeper Benjamin Ochan’s howler. The keeper let Kwizera’s curling free-kick slip through fingers into the back of the net.

A wounded Uganda now went all out in attack, and Nelson Senkatuka chested down the ball for Derrick Nsibambi in the 32nd minute but the latter’s shot from close range was palmed out by Nahimana for a fruitless corner.

Four minutes to the halftime break, Nsibambi failed to finish off Muleme’s corner kick as the equaliser remained elusive for Cranes.

Former Sofapaka striker Fiston Abdoul Razak shrugged off a challenge from Bernard Muwanga at the stroke of halftime, broke down the left flank but his right out-foot shot hit the upright, with Laudit Mavugo unable to extend their lead from the rebound.

Uganda rode on the buzzing atmosphere as fans started streaming in for the final to make their dominance count in the second half. Just four minutes after the restart, Juma latched onto a pass from Senkatuka to volley home the leveller from inside the box.

The midfielder claimed his double with a 75th minute free-kick after he had been fouled by Burundi captain Kwizera.

Substitute Allan Kateregga could have added the third in the final five minutes but his attempt was cleared by the Burundi back line.

Uganda will now go home Sh1 million for finishing third.