Saturday, December 01, 2012
By Ernest Ndunda
Kampala - Defending champions Uganda Cranes kept their unbeaten record when they clobbered South Sudan 4-0 to top Group A, as Cecafa Tusker Senior Challenge preliminary matches concluded in Kampala.
The Cranes routed South Sudan in their last preliminary match on Friday night at Namboole Stadium to top the group with nine points, with Kenya second with six points. The South Sudan side had little to offer in the match and were on the receiving end from the beginnng.
Brian Umony scored twice in the 25th and 42nd minutes to give the Ugandans a 2-0 lead at the breather.
Uganda’s stand-in captain Henry Kalungi blasted the third goal two minutes into the second half before Hamis Kiiza hammered the fourth goal in the 79th minute.
Meanwhile, due to the poor state of Namboole Stadium, matches scheduled for the venue have been switched to Lugogo and Wankulkuku pitches.
This was to enable the wet surface dry before the kick off of the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, striker Mrisho Ngasa scored five goals, which included the fastest goal of the tournament as Tanzania slaughtered Somalia 7-0 to book a slot in the quarter-finals at Lugogo Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.
Tanzania under Danish coach, Kim Poulse, scored early goals, as they had to win the match for them to advance into the quarterfinals in Group C. Ngasa scored the quickest goal of the tournament last week in the 48th second after he connected a neat pass from Salum Abubakar.
The Kilimanjaro Stars scored again in the 24th minute when Ngasa headed home Domayo Raymond’s corner.