Zanzibar players during a previous match. [Photo/Futaa.com]
Zanzibar National soccer team has qualified for the final of the 2017 edition of Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) senior challenge cup, after beating defending champions Uganda 2-1 in the second semi-final match played at the Moi Stadium Kisumu, Friday afternoon.Zanzibar Heroes will now face home team Harambee Stars in the final in Machakos on Sunday.Abdul Aziz Makame put Zanzibar in front in the 23 minute, before Derrick Nsibambi equalized for Uganda Cranes in the 29th minute.Mohamed Issa scored the winning goal for Zanzibar in the 57 minute via a penalty spot after Uganda defender Joseph Nsubuga had been shown a straight red card for bringing down a Zanzibar player in the box.Uganda will now face Burundi in the third playoff on Sunday, before the final. Burundi lost to Kenya 1-0 in the first semi-final played on Thursday.Uganda and Burundi qualified for the semi-finals from group B – Uganda as leaders and Burundi as runners-up.Kenya and Zanzibar were in group A alongside Tanzania, Libya and Rwanda.
Kenya qualified for the semis as group leaders while Zanzibar finished second. The teams drew 0-0 in their group A match.Harambee Stars will be hunting for the 6th CECAFA title while Zanzibar will be seeking their maiden CECAFA title.