Ethiopia’s Under-17 Team Draws 1-1 With Uganda in Kigali, and Both Reach the Semi-Finals

Ethiopia’s under-17 men’s team drew 1-1 with Uganda on Wednesday at Kigali Pelé Stadium in Rwanda. Both teams advanced to the semi-finals of the East and Central Africa qualifiers for the 2027 Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). They will play each other again on Saturday.

CECAFA, the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations, runs the qualifiers. Nine teams started the tournament in three groups of three.

A Goal and a Quick Reply

The first half ended without goals. Zemichael Minyahel gave Ethiopia the lead in the 71st minute, according to CECAFA. The Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported that he had entered the game as a substitute. It was his second goal of the tournament, ENA said. Zemichael’s first was the opening goal in Monday’s 3-0 win over Burundi.

Ethiopia kept the lead for only six minutes before Arnold Kayemba scored for Uganda, CECAFA said. KT Press, a Rwandan news site, reported that Kayemba “finished a well-worked move from midfield.”

Ethiopia’s goal against Uganda in the CECAFA Online broadcast of the game. The video starts shortly before Zemichael Minyahel scores. (CECAFA Online / YouTube)

TM Africa, a Ugandan news site, reported that Uganda coach Laryea Kingston made only one change during the game. He sent in striker Sebastian Fisher in place of Yusuf Ssenyonga as his team searched for the equalizer. Fisher, who plays in Scotland, scored three goals in Uganda’s 8-0 win over Burundi on Saturday.

Kigali Pelé Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda, where Ethiopia and Uganda played on Wednesday, seen empty on October 1, 2024 (EmmysonB / Wikimedia Commons, CC0) [file photo]

How Group B Ended

Ethiopia and Uganda both finished Group B with four points. Uganda took first place because of its better goal difference. CECAFA’s table shows that Uganda scored nine goals and conceded one, while Ethiopia scored four and conceded one. Burundi lost both of its games.

Ethiopia advanced as the best second-place team from the three groups. ENA reported that Ethiopia finished ahead of Tanzania for that place. Both teams had four points, but Ethiopia’s goal difference was three and Tanzania’s was two.

Tanzania had finished second in Group C after a coin toss. Somalia and Tanzania ended level on points, goals scored and goals conceded, CECAFA said. Its competitions committee then held a toss under the rules of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and Somalia won it to take first place.

Saturday’s Rematch

The semi-finals are on Saturday, October 17, at Kigali Pelé Stadium. Uganda plays Ethiopia in the first game, and Rwanda plays Somalia in the second, according to CECAFA. Rwanda, the host country, beat Sudan 2-0 on Wednesday night and won both of its group games.

CECAFA said the two finalists and the winner of a play-off will qualify for the 2027 finals. New Vision, a Ugandan newspaper, reported that the third-place play-off and the final will both be played on Monday. ENA reported that Morocco will host the 2027 tournament, with 16 teams.

Uganda has beaten Ethiopia at this level before. New Vision reported that Uganda beat Ethiopia 3-0 in the semi-finals of the last regional qualifiers in Addis Ababa on November 30, 2025. Ethiopia still played at the Under-17 AFCON in Morocco in May. Soccer Ethiopia reported that the team had qualified for the first time in 22 years.

This time, Saturday’s winner will reach the final and, with it, a place at the 2027 finals.