The South Sudan U-20 team will this evening face hosts Sudan in the second Group A match at the U-20 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers for the CECAFA Zone.
Djibouti will battle Burundi in the opening Group A match, with the Al Hilal Stadium in Omdurman hosting all matches today.
Charles John, the South Sudan U-20 head coach said yesterday that his team is well prepared for the match. “The few days we have spent here have helped us prepare well and the opening match will be very important for us,” added the coach.
He made it clear that although facing a home team is always tough, he was confident his players are ready to the task.
The recent qualification of South Sudan for the U-17 AFCON 2023 is expected to motivate the U-20 team as they battle in the qualifiers which will climax on November 11th in Khartoum.
Yusuf Mossi, the CECAFA Competitions Director also says that they are prepared to have a successful tournament and all teams are happy with all arrangements by the hosts. “We are happy with all the arrangements by the Sudan Football Association and all the teams are happy,” added Mossi.
The best two teams from each group will qualify for the semi final stage, while the teams that make the final will automatically qualify for the U-20 AFCON 2023 to be held in Egypt.
Group A: Sudan, Djibouti, South Sudan, Burundi
Group B: Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia
