The Amaani Stadium in Zanzibar was the stage for an electrifying encounter this morning as Kawempe Muslim and South Africa played out a 1-1 draw in their CAF African Schools Championship opener.
Uganda’s Shadia Nabirye put Kawempe Muslim ahead early, scoring in the 4th minute. Despite dominating the first half and creating multiple scoring opportunities, the team was unable to extend their lead.
South Africa responded strongly, with Rithabile Molefe nearly equalizing in the 25th minute, only to be denied by a crucial save from Kawempe Muslim’s goalkeeper, Huda Ayikoru. However, South Africa was awarded a penalty in the 36th minute, which Molefe successfully converted, leveling the score.
Kawempe Muslim’s head coach, Ayub Khalifa, expressed optimism despite the draw. “It’s unfortunate that we didn’t win this game, but we shall try to win our upcoming games,” Khalifa stated.
Kawempe Muslim is set to face Togo on Wednesday at 9:00 am, while South Africa will take on Gambia at the same time. Uganda’s final group fixture against Gambia is scheduled for 11:00 am tomorrow, with a place in the semi-finals at stake.
