The national Under-20 football team – the Hippos were crowned 2020 Cecafa Under-20 champions after defeating hosts Tanzania yesterday.
The Hippos won 4-1 in the final to avenge a 4-2 quarterfinal defeat to the Tanzanians when the country hosted the tournament last year.
Uganda’s goals were scored by Richard Basangwa who gave the Hippos a first half lead that was cancelled out by a Selemani Hamis penalty for Tanzania following a handball from defender Musa Ramathan in a game in which both nations had already sealed qualification to next year’s Afcon under-20 tournament in Mauritania. Steven Sserwadda then restored Uganda’s lead with a tap in a minute before half time before Ivan Bogere missed a penalty seconds later.
The result further stamped Uganda’s football authority in the region with the country also holding titles in U-15 (boys), U-17 (Girls), U-17 (Boys), CECAFA Kagame Club Cup (KCCA Football Club) and the CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup (Uganda Cranes).
Fufa president Moses Magogo had earlier in the day promised $300 to each player in the Hippos squad for winning the Cecafa title after honoring them with a $700 reward for completing a first ever appearance in the Afcon under-20 finals.