Tanzania and Rwanda secure opening wins in U-17 AFCON qualifiers

The 2027 TotalEnergies CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) CECAFA qualifiers are underway at the Kigali Pele Stadium. In Group C action, Somalia secured a 1-1 draw against Tanzania. Somalia took an early lead through Abdikarin Abdulkadir in the first minute, but Tanzania equalized via a penalty from Elick Yusuph in the 24th minute.

In other opening matches, Tanzania defeated Kenya 2-0 with goals from Dismas Athanasi and Godfrey Somi. The hosts, Rwanda, earned a 1-0 victory over South Sudan thanks to a goal by Khalifa Shayaka. Additionally, Uganda secured a dominant 8-0 win against Burundi in Group B.

The tournament aims to determine the three best teams to represent the CECAFA Zone at the 2027 AFCON. Group stage matches continue through October 14, with semi-finals scheduled for October 17 and the final on October 19.