Sunday November 5, 2023
Players of Uganda pose for a picture before the Group A match between Uganda and Djibouti at the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) U15 Boys Championship at FUFA Technical Centre at Njeru in Buikwe District, Uganda, on Nov. 4, 2023. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua)
Uganda recorded a 15-0 win against Djibouti in their opening Group A match of the CECAFA U15 football championship on Saturday.
Uganda took a 6-0 halftime lead in the match played at the FUFA Technical Center in Njeru.
Abubakali Walusimbi gave the hosts the lead after only one minute, before Enock Bagenda and Richard Okello netted two each, while Frank Ssekanjako also got his name on the scoresheet.
Bagenda netted two more after the break to take his tally to four, while Okello scored another to complete his hat-trick, with Uganda's other goals netted by Walusimbi, Owen Mukisa, Ronald Kogoye and Simon Wanyama who also had a hat-trick to his name.
Uganda coach Hamza Lutalo said he was happy with his side's performance of playing attacking football and scoring many goals. "We need to keep working hard because this is a competition with more matches to come," he said.
In an earlier match, Ethiopia and South Sudan settled for a 1-1 draw.
Uganda lead Group A with three points. Ethiopia and South Sudan are joint second with one point each, while winless Djibouti are at bottom.
Action continues on Sunday with Zanzibar facing Rwanda, while Tanzania take on Somalia in Group B.
The tournament helps teams prepare for next year's Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) U17 qualifiers.