Harambee Starlets fall to Tanzania in CECAFA final

Harambee Starlets fall to Tanzania in CECAFA final

Harambee Starlets fell 1-0 to Tanzania in the 2025 CECAFA Senior Women’s Championship final on Saturday, with an own goal by Enez Mango handing the hosts a record third title in a tightly contested match in Dar es Salaam.

Harambee Starlets fell 1-0 to hosts Tanzania in the final of the 2025 CECAFA Senior Women’s Championship, held Saturday evening at the Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam.

After a goalless first half, the deadlock was broken in the 49th minute through an own goal by Kenyan defender Enez Mango, the decisive moment that handed Tanzania their third CECAFA Women’s title, the most by any team in the competition’s history.

Both teams came into the final with identical records, unbeaten and without conceding a single goal in the tournament. Kenya had swept aside Burundi, Uganda, and South Sudan in the group stage, while Tanzania had recorded equally impressive wins against the same opponents.

The match itself was cagey and closely contested. Kenya’s attack, which had produced 11 goals in the group stage, found it difficult to penetrate a well organized Tanzanian defense. The unfortunate own goal early in the second half tilted the match in favor of the home side.

It’s a disappointing end for Kenya, who were aiming to reclaim the title they last won in 2019 and match Tanzania’s title haul. For Tanzania, the win marks a dominant home campaign and a record third CECAFA crown, following earlier triumphs in 2016 and 2018.

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