KAMPALA, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Uganda Hippos have been drawn to face Ethiopia, Burundi, and South Sudan in the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) U-20 CECAFA qualifiers.

The zonal qualifiers will be hosted by Tanzania from October 6-20, 2024, in the capital, Dar es Salaam.

During the draw conducted on Thursday in Dar es Salaam, which was viewed by stakeholders on various platforms, defending champions Uganda Hippos were placed in Group B, alongside South Sudan, Burundi, and Ethiopia.

Group A features hosts Tanzania, along with Sudan, Rwanda, Djibouti, and Kenya. Yusuf Mossi, Competitions Director of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA), told Xinhua over the phone that they expect the qualifiers to be highly competitive, as they will determine the two teams that will represent the zone in the final African tournament.

"The best two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, and the finalists will automatically book their slots for the African event," Mossi explained.

He also mentioned that the matches will be played at three venues: the Azam Complex, KMC Stadium, and Major General Isamuhyo Stadium, all located in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

"We have all members in the competition, apart from Eritrea and Somalia, who did not enter their teams. But we expect an even more competitive tournament compared to the last one we had in Khartoum in 2022, where Uganda beat South Sudan in the final," Mossi added.

Morley Byekwaso, Uganda's U-20 head coach, acknowledged the difficulty of the draw, noting that no team can be underestimated.

"Football at the junior level is very competitive and unpredictable, and we must start preparing early enough," Byekwaso said. Enditem

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