Sylvia Kabene etched her name into CECAFA history with a dazzling first-half hat-trick, powering Uganda’s Crested Cranes to a dominant 5–0 victory over South Sudan in the 2025 CECAFA Senior Women’s Championship.
The defending champions bounced back impressively after a narrow 1–0 loss to Burundi in their opening fixture. In that game, Kabene came on as a second-half substitute for Latifa Nakasi. But on Sunday evening at the Azam Complex, she made her first tournament start—and wasted no time making an impact.
The Musoga forward from Mafubira, who plays for St. Noah Girls FC, found the net in the 6th, 21st, and 34th minutes, completing a hat-trick in just 34 minutes—the first of the 2025 edition.
Her stellar performance earned her the Woman of the Match award walking away with an award of Two hundred and fifty thousand Tanzanian shillings.
“ I thank the Almighty for this win. I managed to score three goals and was named Woman of the Match. I appreciate my teammates for their teamwork and my coach for giving me the opportunity to play today,” Kabene said after the match.
Shamirah Nalugya and Zainah Namuleme added a goal each to seal a comprehensive win for the Crested Cranes, who now sit joint-top of the standings alongside hosts Tanzania, both with three points and a +4 goal difference.
Kenya follows with the same number of points but a slightly lower goal difference (+3). Burundi and South Sudan round out the table, with the latter yet to register a point.
Action returns on Tuesday June 17th, when Tanzania faces Burundi and Uganda meets regional rivals Kenya in what is expected to be one of the tournament’s most thrilling encounters.
Kabene’s hat-trick draws parallels to standout performances from the 2022 CECAFA tournament. That year, Tanzania’s Omary Mwanahamisi scored three goals and Opa Clement netted four in a 12–0 rout of Zanzibar, while Ethiopia’s Aregash Kalsa Tadesse also registered a hat-trick against South Sudan.
As the tournament heats up, Sylvia Kabene has emerged as one of the standout names—her performance not only reviving Uganda’s title hopes but also capturing the pride and passion of fans across Busoga and beyond.
At the end of this tournament, a team that will have collected many points will be crowned champions since it’s being played in a round robin format.
