Sudan, Zambia storm Cecafa Semis

THE 2010 African champions Zambia will meet Sudan in the semi finals of the GoTv Cecafa Challenge Cup after both sides won their respective quarter finals matches yesterday in Mombasa.

Monday, December 09, 2013

THE 2010 African champions Zambia will meet Sudan in the semi finals of the GoTv Cecafa Challenge Cup after both sides won their respective quarter finals matches yesterday in Mombasa. Zambia advanced to the semifinals after a dramatic 4-3 post-match penalty win over Burundi. Sundays clash in Mombasa was the second meeting between the two teams in the 2013 tournament after Zambia beat Burundi 1-0 in the group stage last Sunday in Nairobi. The two sides played out to a cautious and scoreless 90 minutes with both sides producing very little drama within the 90 minutes. Burundi, 2014 CHAN finalists head home to continue their final leg of preparations for their debut CHAN outing in South Africa next January. Meanwhile, a goal in each half from strikers, Nadir Eltayeb and tournament top scorer, Salah Ibrahim (on 4 goals) ensured victory over Ethiopia. Sudan took the lead in the 23rd minute after Ethiopia defender Salahdin Barcecho headed in an own-goal from Captain Hamoda Bashir’s corner. Ethiopia fell further behind in the 69th minute when striker Ibrahim Salah tapped the ball past Ethiopia goalkeeper Derete Alemu from in Bashir’s free kick. The goal took Salah to the top of the Cecafa Cup top scorers chart on four goals from as many games played. Ethiopia’s defeat means none of the three 2014 CHAN tournament finalists at the ongoing Cecafa Cup tournament in Kenya have managed to make it through to the semifinals. Sudan now faces Zambia in the semifinal at the same venue on December 10 while Tanzania takes on hosts Kenya on the same date at Machakos. Ethiopia joined fellow 2014 CHAN finalists Uganda and Burundi out of this year’s Cecafa Cup. Uganda exited the tournament at the quarterfinal stage following a loss to Tanzania after post-match penalties.