The Uganda Hippos, defending Champions of the U20 TotalEnergies AFCON Zonal Qualifiers kick off their title defence this evening with a clash against Ethiopia in Group B.
The match will take place at the Azam Complex at 1800hrs and the Hippos will be eager to start their campaign with victory.
Head coach Mathias Lule is optimistic about his side’s chances, expressing confidence in the team’s preparation. With no injury concerns in the squad, Lule has called upon Ugandans to rally behind the team as they embark on their quest to retain the regional title.
“We are ready for this tournament and the boys are in perfect shape to face any team. Our preparations have been perfect and we just call upon Ugandans to rally behind us in this journey.” He said.
Skipper Toto Majub echoed his coach’s sentiments, emphasizing the positive results the team hopes to achieve.
“We have had excellent training from the technical team, both here and back home in our residential camp at the FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru, what is left is for us players to hit the pitch and deliver,” he remarked.
In the other Group B fixture, South Sudan will face Burundi earlier in the day at the KMC Stadium.
The top two teams from the group stage will qualify for the tournament semifinals with both finalists securing a spot in the U20 AFCON final tournament.
