Uganda beats Comoros, qualifies for Nations cup

Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the potentially historic 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Group D qualifier between Uganda Cranes and The Coelacanths of Comoros...

Andrew Mwanguhya and Makhtum Muziransa will be with you throughout...

The first update is a wet one...

The skies have opened at Namboole, venue for today's must-win tie for Uganda if they are to qualify for the Nations Cup for the first time since 1978.

Over 15,000 fans were already inside the 40,000 capacity stadium before rain started falling...

Hundreds more are still outside still trying to come in...

Those inside have all now had to run to the higher ends of their respective stands to seek shelter.

Wait... And a few have decided enough is enough... They are back to the stands and soaking in the rain, blowing their vuvuzelas and dancing away.

3:35 pm Supporters are still queuing up outside the main gate. Stadium almost full

3:40 pm Bus carrying Uganda Cranes players arrives at Mandela National Stadium

And just like we

Take note Mr President, tokenism won’t do local sport any good

President Museveni and the First Lady, who also happens to be the Education and Sports minister, will (if Fufa’s world is anything to go by) experience firsthand Uganda attempt to write something howling on a blank page of history

, Dennis Onyango starts in goal, Nicholas Wadada gets a nod at right back in place of suspended Denis Guma, while Hassan Wasswa goes to the bench as skipper Geoffrey Massa leads the line in front of Farouk Miya, with Moses Oloya and Kizito Luwagga on either wing.

Uganda Cranes XI:

Onyango, Wadada, Isinde, Jjuuko, Ochaya, Mawejje, Aucho, Miya, Oloya, Massa, Luwagga

Subs: Salim, Walusimbi, Wasswa, Ntege, Sentamu, Okwi, Serunkuma

Comoros XI

Ali AHAMADA, Nadjim ABDOU (cap), Camal YOUSSOUFA, Bendjaloud YOUSSOUF, Kassim AHAMADA, Fouad BACHIROU, Youssouf M’CHANGAMA, Combo AHAMADI, Nasser CHAMED, Djamel BAKAR, Ben FARDOU

Match: CRANES Vs COMOROS

5:00 PM: Match between Cranes and Comoros kicks off with handshake from the min of Education and Sports, also the First lady of Uganda Janet Museveni

2'The Cranes get a free-kick but Ochaya's take is dealt with by the Comoros backline. 0-0

4'Oloya releases Miya on the right and the Standard Liege forward forces a corner. Comoros deal with it. All Cranes now 0-0

8'The Cranes with the momentum but it is Comoros' Bakar Djamel with the first shot on target in the match. Uganda keeper Onyango collects.

11' Comoros survive... Mawejje's header off a Miya corner cleared off the line. Then Luwagga draws a fine save from Comoros keeper. 0-0

15'Uganda 0-0 Comoros

20' Corner after corner for Uganda, the sixth also not producing fruit. 0-0 vs Comoros.

21' Uganda got freekicks from promising positions, all taken by Ochaya. Nothing to show for them. Comoros break, Chamed tests Onyango. No problem

22'Freekick to Comoros, Youssef takes but Onyango is enjoying picking up these tame balls. Cranes pressing, Comoros first on the breaks 0-0

27' Khalid to Miya, who releases Ochaya, and the latter raptures the crossbar... The flag is up for offside anyway. Uganda 0-0 vs Comoros

30' Miya manoeuvres through the middle, releases Oloya on the right but the forward's cross is missed by Massa's head 0-0

Goaaaalllllll Uganda... Miya..... 34' 1-0

34' Uganda lead Comoros 1-0 thanks to Farouk Miya's 34the minute goal. Delirium at Namboole. Cranes in ascendancy.

1-0

40' Djamel draws a fine save from Onyango... Comoros are not lying down here... They are dangerous on the break. 1-0

Half Time. Uganda 1-0 Comoros. Miya 34'. The Cranes will qualify for the 2017 Nations Cup finals if it stays this way. See you after the break.

Second half underway and Onyango is immediately called to service. But he deals with the teasing cross. Uganda 1-0 Comoros

54' Uganda substitution: Luwagga off. Emmanuel Okwi on. Uganda 1-0 Comoros

60' Cranes break, Oloya releases Wadada, who beats his man but the overlapping right back only shoots across goal. Uganda 1-0 Comoros

61' Comoros substitution: Kombo off, Mmadi on. Uganda 1-0 Comoros.

63' Phew! Should have put that away, Okwi. Oloya threads a pass to Wadada, who squares into the area for Okwi. He drifts it wide. 1-0

70' Okwi advances into the area, crosses low but Comoros skipper Abdou clears out of danger. Miya's corner also off the line. Uganda 1-0 Comoros