Somalia Beat Rwanda on Penalties to Reach CECAFA U17 Final

GOOBJOOG NEWS: Somalia’s national Under-17 football team has advanced to the final of the CECAFA U17 Championship, a qualifying tournament for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations, after defeating Rwanda 5-4 on penalties in a closely contested semi-final.
The match ended 1-1 in regulation time, forcing a penalty shootout in which Somalia’s young Ocean Stars held their nerve to secure a place in the final.
The victory puts Somalia within one match of reclaiming the regional title they last won in 2022.
Somalia’s players demonstrated determination and resilience throughout the encounter, overcoming a strong challenge from Rwanda to keep their championship ambitions alive.
Somalia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Mohamed Abdulkadir Ali, and the President of the Somali Football Federation, Ali Abdi Mohamed, popularly known as Ali Shiine, who also serves as CECAFA Vice President, congratulated the team on reaching the final.