South Sudan U17 women secure 1–0 win in CECAFA opener

Author: Michael Daniel | Published: 5 hours ago

South Sudan U17 women pose for a team photo ahead of their CECAFA opener at Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam – Courtesy photo

South Sudan’s U17 women’s team has started its 2026 CECAFA U17 Women’s Championship campaign with a 1–0 victory over Zanzibar on Sunday.

The crucial goal came from Amor Seber, who scored in the 78th minute to secure the win in a tightly contested Group B opener at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam.

The first half was evenly matched, with both sides failing to create clear scoring chances despite strong efforts to control the game.

South Sudan started in an attacking 4-4-2 formation, using direct passing and physical play to apply pressure.

Zanzibar responded with organised defending and gradually gained more possession as the half progressed, forcing South Sudan to rethink their approach.

At half-time, South Sudan switched to a 4-3-3 formation and focused on shorter passing and better ball control, which improved their performance in the second half.

The team looked more confident in attack, and sustained pressure eventually led to the breakthrough goal.

Seber scored in the 78th minute with a calm finish to give South Sudan the lead.

Zanzibar pushed forward in search of an equaliser in the closing stages, but South Sudan held firm defensively to secure all three points.

The win puts South Sudan top of Group B with maximum points ahead of upcoming matches against Uganda and Djibouti.

The 2026 CECAFA U17 Women’s Championship features seven national teams from East and Central Africa and runs from June 13 to 23 in Dar es Salaam.

The tournament also marks the first appearance of Somalia and Sudan in the women’s youth competition, a milestone for regional women’s football.