The 1973 CECAFA Cup was the inaugural edition of the CECAFA Cup, and was held in Uganda. The CECAFA Cup is considered Africa's oldest football tournament, and involves teams from Central and Southern Africa. The matches in the 1973 tournament were played from 22 September 1973 until 29 September 1973.[1] The tournament was originally the Gossage Cup, contested by the four nations of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zanzibar,[2] running from 1929 until 1965.[3] In 1967, this became the East and Central African Senior Challenge Cup, often shortened to simply the Challenge Cup, which was competed for five years, until 1971, before the CECAFA Cup was introduced in 1973. Uganda, the hosts, won the Cup, beating Tanzania 2–1 in the final. The tournament lacked a third-place play-off, so the runners-up in the group stages, Kenya and Zambia, shared third place.[2] After Uganda and Zambia drew in the group stages with the same number of points, goals conceded and goals scored, a play-off occurred, which Uganda won. The tournament has been expanded, and the modern-day tournament consists of 12 different teams (Ethiopia, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Sudan, and Eritrea have joined since 1973).[4]

1973 CECAFA Cup
Tournament details
Host countryUganda
Dates22–29 September
Teams6 (from CECAFA confederations)
Final positions
Champions Uganda (1st title)
Runners-up Tanzania
Tournament statistics
Matches played8
Goals scored28 (3.5 per match)
1974

Participants edit

Six nations competed: the original four teams from the Gossage Cup, plus two more teams:

Group stages edit

The group stage began on 22 September and ended on 28 September with Group A's play-off. The matchdays alternated between group A and group B throughout the week, finishing with the group A play-off. After the end of the scheduled matches in group A, Uganda and Zanzibar were level on the traditional deciders listed below, so to decide which team qualified for the final a play-off was arranged, won by Uganda.[1]

If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings (in descending order):

Group A edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1   Uganda 2 1 1 0 7 2 +5 3
2   Zambia B 2 1 1 0 7 2 +5 3
3   Somalia 2 0 0 2 2 12 −10 0
Source: [citation needed]
Uganda  6–1  Somalia

Zambia B  6–1  Somalia

Uganda  1–1  Zambia B

Group A play-off edit

Uganda  2–1  Zambia B

Group B edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1   Tanzania 2 2 0 0 3 1 +2 4
2   Kenya 2 1 0 1 3 1 +2 2
3   Zanzibar 2 0 0 2 0 6 −6 0
Source: [citation needed]
Kenya  2–0  Zanzibar
Ouma    

Tanzania  1–0  Zanzibar

Tanzania  2–1  Kenya

Final edit

Uganda  2–1  Tanzania[1][5]


 1973 CECAFA Cup champions 
 
Uganda

1st title

Final rankings edit

Teams are ranked using the same tie-breaking criteria as in the group stage, except for the top four teams.[1]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Result
1   Uganda (H) 5 4 1 0 11 4 +7 9 Champion
2   Tanzania 3 1 1 1 8 4 +4 3 2nd place
=3   Zambia 3 1 1 1 8 4 +4 3 3rd place[a]
=3   Kenya 2 1 0 1 3 1 +2 2
5   Zanzibar 2 0 0 2 0 6 −6 0 [b]
6   Somalia 2 0 0 2 2 12 −10 0
Updated to match(es) played on 29 September 1973. Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 2 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a defeat.
(H) Host nation
Notes:
  1. ^ Second placed in group stages
  2. ^ Eliminated in the group stages

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e "Uganda, 1973". The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  2. ^ a b Korir, Patrick (25 November 2009). "The CECAFA Fact File". futaa.com. Archived from the original on 2014-06-05. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  3. ^ Onwumechili, Chuka; Akindes, Gerard (8 April 2014). Identity and Nation in African Football: Fans, Community and Clubs. ISBN 9781137355812.
  4. ^ Mathu, Wilson (15 November 2013). "CECAFA: Stars', Cranes land different groups". futaa.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-28. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  5. ^ "CECAFA Cup 1973". Wildstat. Retrieved 1 June 2014.