Uganda put in a solid performance to record a 2-0 victory over Congo-Brazzaville at Mandela National Stadium Namboole.
The game
While it can’t be described as spectacular,it was most definitely a satisfactory showing as the hosts earned a first win of the campaign following a pulsating 2-2 draw against South Africa in the group opener.
The Cranes built onto the encouraging display against South Africa on Friday to take all three points and tentatively go top of Group K of the 2025 TotalEnergies AFCON Qualifiers.At least until South Africa play South Sudan today.
Abdul Azizi Kayondo broke the deadlock somewhat fortuitously when his powerful intended cross into the box flew past Congo goalkeeper Pavelh Ndzila and went in off the post with slightly over twenty minutes gone.
It was eerily reminiscent of fellow fullback Godfrey “Jajja Walu” Walusimbi’s goal against Guinea Bissau in another AFCON qualifier back in 2011.The fact that it was from the same exact side of the pitch added to the feeling of déjà vu.
The Cranes could have doubled their lead shortly after but Rogers Kassim Mato could not convert Ronald Ssekiganda’s through ball.The bright start soon petered out,but Uganda showcased their traditional miserly defence,as Congo struggled to create meaningful openings despite having more time on the ball.
When Congo did manage to break through,the resolute Isima Watenga kept them at bay,as he saved Ryan Maxime Destin Bidounga’s powerful header with half an hour gone.
Then came a real AFCON moment as the game was paused temporarily because lights in the stadium had gone off.It proved a blessing in disguise as it turned into an inadvertent water break.
Soon after that,however,Uganda’s luck turned sour as they were forced to rejig their attack.The injured Muhammad Shaban replaced before halftime by Jude Ssemugabi for the Kitara FC frontman’s first cap.
Halftime came with Congo attempting to use their momentum to find a way back into the game.And the second half continued in the same vein as Congo tried unlocking the stingy Ugandan backline to no avail.
Both teams made changes as the game wore on,with Allan Okello and Halidi Lwaliwa replacing Travis Mutyaba and Elio Capradossi for Uganda with just over fifteen minutes to go.
Paul Put’s Uganda seem to have picked up a habit of scoring absolute belters and it was yet another one that put the game to bed as his substitutes combined in quite some fashion.
Four minutes from the end of normal time,the livewire Okello collected the ball on the left side of Congo box.He then pulled off a perfectly timed sensational trivela pass to Ssemugabi running towards the penalty spot.The Kitara forward made no mistake,firing an impressive first time finish past Ndzila with aplomb to register a debut goal and send the already raucous home crowd into raptus.
Analysis
It is still way too early but there are signs of germination of a positive energy around the Cranes for the first time in a long time.
Uganda has been relatively more successful over the last seven years or so;making two AFCON appearances in 2017 and 2019,contrasted with zero over the nearly four decades preceeding them.
But there was a dreariness to the teams that Milutin “Micho” Sredojeviç built in the aftermath of David Obua’s infamous 2011 fall out with the powers that be that seemed to put a distance between them and the fans.
Even though they succeeded where previous iterations had failed over and over again,it felt like the gap between the team and its supporters only widened further.The spirit of the team disconnected from the soul of those in the stands.
Sebastien Desabré’s 2019 cohort that memorably earned a first AFCON win in forty one years had a buzz about it,but the alliance between coach and team was too brief for it to ripen fully.
Of course there is no knowing right now that if the team improves further as hoped,Put won’t be tempted away by greener pastures like Desabré before him.
And of course the fact that for so long Uganda could not host home matches at the national stadium also contributed significantly to the state of affairs.But there can be no denying that even when Uganda played in Uganda,be it at Namboole or Kitende,the vibes were just not what they had been before.
Hope for the future
The fact is that not since the days of Obua and Ibrahim Ssekagya and Denis Onyango under the tutelage of Bobby Williamson have Uganda excited their fans like this.Four goals in two games is a taste of dreamland for fans long accustomed to single goal margins.
The bulk of the current squad is maturing through a transition that has turned out to be much more difficult than had been originally anticipated.But the players seem to be coming into their own.And the fans can sense it,hence the optimism,cautious as it may be.
If the Cranes can maintain the momentum and actually qualify for the 2025 AFCON,while continuing to put in creditable performances,it could turn out to be one of the most memorable chapters in the team’s history.
For now they remain an intriguing proposition,especially to their once again hopeful fans,at least until a derby double-header against neighbours South Sudan in October and November.What happens in Juba and Kampala will begin to answer whether this is a false start,or a genuinely new beginning.
Put and his assistant Sam Ssimbwa took charge with clouds of controversy following them.But four points in the first two games of this qualification campaign,along with a series of startling strikes,have bought them a hefty dose of good will.
They will need it because there will surely be much sterner tests,such as Guinea in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.Displays against such opposition will be the certification for whether or not this hype is justified.
