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Forward Derrick Kakooza was on target thrice to helped Uganda Hippos reach the finals of the AFCON U20 tournament on their debut.
The Hippos defeated Tunisia 4-1 in semi-finals of the AFCON U20 tournament in a match played at the Stade Olympique Nouakchoot on Monday evening.
Richard Basangwa opening scored for Uganda before Derrick Kakooza’s hattrick sealed Uganda Hippos their first U20 final at the tournament in Mauritania. Adam Karim Benlamine scored for Tunisia the consolation in the 39th minute.
Richard Basangwa gave Hippos the lead inside the first five minutes with a great finish on the turn after being at the end of Gavin Kizito’s cross. He turned his man and sent in a low-driven shot to beat Elias Damergy.
In the 35th minute, Uganda doubled their lead after Basangwa excellently made a run at the left to set up Kakooza for an easy tap-in.
But two minutes afterwards, Uganda conceded after a defensive error, Benlamine was left poorly marked to gift him a chance that he made no mistake with sending in a hard shot past Jack Komakech at the near post.
Just before the halftime break, Uganda could have made it three but Isma Mugulusi from outside the box rattled his effort at the crossbar.
The game went into the halftime break with the Hippos holding a comfortable 2-1 lead over Tunisia
Five minutes after halftime, Kakooza got his second after Bobosi Byaruhanga picked him out with a long ball that he headed over Damergy for Uganda’s third goal.
In the 75th minutes, Kakooza completed his hattrick to seal a comprehensive win for Hippos.
Uganda will face Ghana in the final on Saturday at the Stade Olympique Nouakchoot. Ghana defeated Gambia 1-0 in the other semi-final courtesy of Boah first-half goals.
Uganda Hippos XI: Jack Komakech (GK), Gavin Kizito (C), Musa Ramathan, Kenneth Semakula, Bobsi Byaruhanga, Isma Mugulusi, Steven Sserwadda, Richard Basangwa, Najib Yiga and Derrick Kakooza
