Miya magic all but seals Afcon spot
Loaded gun: Miya shot down the Crocodiles of Lesotho with two sublime strikes. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICO
What you need to know:
- The Cranes then survived a penalty when Jjuuko kicked at Masoabi Synous Nkoto midway the second half but the referee waived appeals away.
- It was almost a perfect day for Desabre’s men only for Okwi’s booking for dissent ruling him out of the Cape Verde tie.
Kampala. When he starts scoring, it becomes a habit. And last night, well – it was like he never left.
Like he did two years ago against Comoros to end Uganda’s four-decade absence from the Nations Cup finals, Faruku Miya’s second and third goals in four days for a 2-0 victory away in Lesotho all but have Uganda in Cameroon next June.
But for Tanzania’s 2-0 home victory over Cape Verde, Uganda’s qualification confirmation will be delayed at least until next month when the Cranes host Cape Verde in Kampala.
Victories for both Uganda and Tanzania moved Cranes to 10 points and Taifa Stars to five, meaning that the two - and Cape Verde could all possibly send the race up to the final day.
However, a draw with Cape Verde on November 16 will just confirm Uganda’s seventh Nations Cup finals and their second successive, which will be the first time such a sequence of qualification will have happened since the 1974 to 1978 editions.
Kateregga assist
Starting his first qualification game for Uganda, Cape Town City’s Allan Kateregga charged at the hosts through the middle, beating two Basotho before releasing Miya.
Miya controlled and unleashed a fierce drive past Likano Mputhi on the edge of the 18-yeard area for Uganda’s sixth minute lead.
Kateregga, one of three changes coach Sebastien Desabre made from the team that played the first leg including Murushid Jjuuko and Patrick Kaddu, had his effort off an Emmanuel Okwi cut-back cleared off the line by Mafa Moremoholo.
Cranes goalkeeper Denis Onyango was then called to action to keep away Bokang Sello’s free kick on 27 minutes before Okwi won a free kick the other end for Miya to curl in a beauty – his 21st in 54 caps – on 35 minutes.
The Cranes then survived a penalty when Jjuuko kicked at Masoabi Synous Nkoto midway the second half but the referee waived appeals away.
It was almost a perfect day for Desabre’s men only for Okwi’s booking for dissent ruling him out of the Cape Verde tie.
Group l standings
Team P W D L F A Pts
Uganda 4 3 1 0 6 0 10
Tanzania 4 1 2 1 3 4 5
Cape Verde 4 1 1 2 4 4 4
Lesotho 4 0 2 2 2 7 2
Yesterday’s results
Lesotho 0-2 Uganda
Tanzania 2-0 Cape Verde
Next games (Nov 16-17)
Uganda vs Cape Verde
Lesotho vs Tanzania
