This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
Uganda Wins 2019 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup ¶
On Thursday, December 19, 2019, Uganda's national football team, the Uganda Cranes, won the 2019 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup, defeating Eritrea 3-0 in the final at the KCCA Lugogo Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.
The victory marked Uganda's 15th title in the championship, which was initiated in 2002. Head coach Jonathan McKinstry expressed pride in his team's achievement, saying, 'We played well. We knew it was going to be a very tough opposition from Eritrea and surely they were. We however took our chances and defended well when we needed to, and that is what you need in a final like today.'
Eritrea's head coach, Efrem Haile, conceded that Uganda was the better team, saying, 'I congratulate Uganda, they are deserved champions. We had our chances, several of them that had we utilised well would have changed everything.'
The match saw Uganda's Bright Anukani, Mustafa Kizza, and Joel Madondo score one goal each, with Anukani opening the scores in the 31st minute. Eritrea's Robel Kidane and Suleiman Ibrahim traded passes cleverly to outdo Uganda centre-back John Revita, but the latter could not beat goalkeeper Charles Lukwago.
Uganda's victory marked a repeat of their 2012 heroics when they won the championship at home.
