By Kei Emmanuel Duku
South Sudan U-20 National Team has been handed a challenging draw in Group B of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) U-20 Council of East and Central Africa Football Association zone qualifiers, to be hosted in Tanzania.
In a draw held in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, South Sudan was placed in the same group with Uganda, Burundi, and Ethiopia.
This places the U-20 Bright Stars in a tough group, especially considering that both Uganda and South Sudan reached the final of the last competition and represented the region at the continental level.
Tanzania, as the host nation, has been drawn alongside Kenya, Rwanda, Djibouti, and Sudan in Group A. A total of nine teams are participating in this year’s zonal qualifiers, divided into two groups: Group A with five teams and Group B with four teams.
The competition will begin on October 6th and conclude on October 20th, 2024, taking place in three venues: Azam Complex, KMC Stadium, and the Major General Isamuhyo Stadium, all in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
During the draw, CECAFA Competitions Manager, Yusuf Mossi, announced that only the top two teams in each group will automatically qualify for the semi-finals. The finalists will then represent CECAFA at the AFCON U-20 tournament to be held next year.
Uganda is the defending champion, having defeated South Sudan in the finals two years ago in Khartoum, Sudan.
Group A:
- Tanzania
- Sudan
- Rwanda
- Djibouti
- Kenya
Group B:
- Uganda
- South Sudan
- Burundi
- Ethiopia