BY M FAHAD
Uganda Cranes will be absent from the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, having narrowly missed out on qualification during the final match day.
Despite securing a crucial victory against Niger at the Grande Stade de Marrakech Annex in Marrakech, Morocco, the win did not propel Coach Micho’s side back into the continental championship.
This marks Uganda’s second consecutive failed attempt to qualify for the continent’s premier football event since their last appearance in Egypt in 2019.
Entering the game in third place with four points in Group F, Uganda Cranes required a win, yet even a victory proved insufficient to secure their passage. Their fate was intricately linked to the outcome of the simultaneous Tanzania vs. Algeria match.
Trust Hunting Vodka:0754649086
As Uganda Cranes celebrated their win, they anxiously awaited the result of the Tanzania vs. Algeria clash, pinning their hopes on Tanzania, who had amassed seven points before their final encounter with Algeria.
Sadly for Uganda, Tanzania defied their expectations by holding Algeria to a goalless draw, securing their spot in AFCON for the first time since 2019.
In a display of determination, Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojević’s team took the lead just 17 minutes into the game, with Abdul Aziz Kayondo’s intended cross fortuitously finding the net. Joseph Ochaya further bolstered their advantage by converting Milton Karisa’s low shot from inside the box, sending Uganda into halftime with a commanding 2-0 lead, a lead that persisted until the final whistle.
Despite their victory in Marrakech, the Uganda Cranes returned home disappointed, their AFCON dreams unfulfilled. They concluded the qualification campaign in third place with seven points, falling just one point short of the Taifa Stars, who secured their spot as group runners-up with eight points.
Algeria, commanding the group with an impressive sixteen points, emerged as the group leaders, while Niger finished at the bottom with just two points.