Cranes read from same old script

KAMPALA

Almost, yet again. Ours is a script that needs little editing annually. At least it has been a story of our post ’78 life. For the umpteenth time, Uganda were this close (you can join your index finger with the thumb for measurement) to qualifying for the Africa Nations Cup of Nations, yet so far.

Following yet another failed 2013 Afcon qualification campaign, the 2015 edition was immediately upon us. This time round, the Cranes were subjected to a gruelling 10 matches, including four in the preliminaries, to make it to Morocco 2015 before it finally became Equatorial Guinea 2015. The long journey, which had most convinced that this was indeed our time, started on a nervous note away to Madagascar in May.

Preliminary stages, second round
Madagascar 2-1 Uganda (May 18, 2014)
Madagascar could have easily gone into half time 4-0 up as they ran rings around the clearly out-of-sorts Cranes. But stand-in goalkeeper Ismail Watenga kept the scoreline within reach after Fabrice Augio Rakotondraibe and Njiva Rakotoharimala had given the hosts a 2-0 lead inside 29 minutes. Only a Hamis Kiiza last minute penalty gave Uganda respite coming into the return leg.

Uganda 1-0 Madagascar (May 31, 2014)
Aggregate: 2-2. Uganda progress on away goals rule
The importance of Watenga’s outstanding saves and Kiiza’s late penalty was fully appreciated after Uganda could only pull off a 1-0 victory in Kampala. Dennis Onyango was resolute in goal as Geoffrey Massa scored the all-important goal for Uganda to progress to the final preliminary round on away goals rule.

Final preliminary round
Uganda 2-0 Mauritania (July 19, 2014)
Uganda put up a forgettable first half after successfully doing everything wrong, except keeping a clean sheet. But a half time substitution that saw Cranes coach Micho Sredojevic replace Kizito Luwagga with Brian Majwega yielded instant results. The winger soon opened the scoring with his weaker right foot and Massa added the other to carry a 2-0 advantage to Mauritania.

Mauritania 0-1 Uganda (August 3, 2014)
Uganda needed just not to lose to progress to the group stage, where four-time African champions Ghana, Togo and Guinea lurked in Group E.
But URA striker Robert Ssentongo had other ideas, stealing it at the dead for a 3-0 aggregate score.

Group stages, E
Ghana 1-1 Uganda (September 6, 2014)
Entering this group of seasoned Afcon campaigners, few gave Uganda a chance. But the Cranes couldn’t have visited Ghana at a better time as the Black Stars rumbled over the bonus-embroiled World Cup in Brazil.
Uganda survived early Ghana bombardment, with Onyango standing tallest in goal. The more the Ghanaians were frustrated, the more Uganda grew in confidence. Soon Tonny Mawejje was slithering away in celebration after turning his markers and putting the Cranes ahead. Andre Ayew later levelled through a controversial penalty.

Uganda 2-0 Guinea (September 10, 2014)
Uganda won this one but is Massa’s blinder of two well-taken goals and Onyango’s three one-on-one saves that fashioned it. The more technically gifted visitors (Soumah Seydouba comes to mind) had more possession and more clear-cut chances but it is what kisses the inside of the net that counts. The result sprung renewed hope across the country as Uganda took table leadership with four points from two games.

Unbeaten no more and collapse of campaign
Uganda 0-1 Togo (October 11, 2014)
Togo had been the last team to beat Uganda at Nakivubo, a 3-0 humbling in the 2002 Afcon qualifiers. They were in time to end the 10-year unbeaten home record at Namboole, Donou Kokou’s 30 minute goal settling the contest. This was the result that hurt the camel’s back.

It not only seriously dented Uganda’s hopes of qualifying for the first time since ’78, it ended what all that Ugandans had left to boast of – the decade unbeaten home record. South Africa were hitherto the last team to win (1-0) at Namboole in 2004

Togo 1-0 Uganda (October 15, 2014)
A 69th minute header by Togo defender Serge Akakpo completed the back-to-back defeats for Uganda and at this stage, with Ghana the next tie at Namboole; only an eternal hoper still gave the Cranes a chance.

Uganda 1-0 Ghana (November 15, 2014)
The Cranes regrouped, Micho desperately hoping that what October took from them November could return. He was referring to the Togo October double over Uganda. The Cranes had to win this or they were out. SCVU defender Savio Kabugo was on hand to head in a nine-minute winner against the same opposition he made his senior debut against in Kumasi. That is the match that the whole country resumed seeing clearly. All Uganda had to do was draw with Guinea in Casablanca in Morocco and the 37-year wait was over.

The final crash
Guinea 2-0 Uganda (November 19, 2014)
What was supposed to be the final turnaround for Uganda instead became the final turnaround for Guinea, a team that suffered the Ebola stigma throughout the campaign. Their final Guinea turnaround was ensured by pure dominance of the Cranes by the West Africans and aided by Andy Mwesigwa’s atrocious defending, the skipper being at fault for both Ibrahima Traore and Soumah Seydouba’s goals.

Chan, January-February, 2014
Uganda’s main objective in South Africa was to do better than their last (2009) appearance at the African Nations Championship (Chan) in Sudan when they lost all group games, scoring just once. They did exactly that, winning one game, drawing another and losing the final group encounter to Morocco. It is here that striker Yunus Sentamu announced his arrival, scoring all Uganda’s three goals as they bowed out in the group stage. This was also the year that saw the under 17 side put up impressive displays in the Africa youth qualifiers, sweeping Seychelles and Rwanda before falling to Zambia.

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