African Games: Uganda revenge on Nigeria to evoke spirits of Afcon 2021
Uganda U20 national team forward Abbasi Kyeyune(L) fights for the ball with Nigeria captain Daniel Olocho Bamenyi at the ongoing African Games in Accra, Ghana. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Both Nigeria and Uganda qualified for these games after reaching the quarterfinal stage of the 2023 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations that were held in Egypt.
There’s that feeling once again that Uganda Hippos can spark the dull international football mood in the country after stunning Nigeria to a 2-1 victory last Thursday in their opening game of the All Africa Games going on in Accra, Ghana.
Both Nigeria and Uganda qualified for these games after reaching the quarterfinal stage of the 2023 Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations that were held in Egypt.
Uganda had a small score to settle with the Flying Eagles on Thursday and they did it in the best way. The Hippos broke the records in the preceding 2021 Afcon U-20 edition after going all the way to lose to Ghana in the final in Mauritania.
Hippos’ hopes of bettering that run was shattered by the Nigerians who pipped them 1-0 in the quarterfinal last year in Cairo through an Ibrahim Juma own goal but fate paired them together once again.
Usama Arafat got at the end of a well-laid long diagonal pass from Allan Oyirwoth in the 34th minute to dart in and fire past Samuel James in Nigeria’s goal. The West Africans equalized almost immediately in similar fashion but Ivan Irinimbabazi, who was part of the Afcon team last year, ensured revenge was exacted with a thunderous low shot with ten minutes left.
“We lost to Nigeria last year despite playing well so beating us for the second time would have hurt us a lot,” Uganda Hippos coach Morley Byekwaso said after the win.
“Some of our players had some fear of the opponent before the game but they built confidence as the game aged. There is something we’re building because since 2020, we’ve been trying to see that we reach this stage as an emerging force [on the continent],” he added.
Eight of Hippos players who featured in the win were present in that Afcon fixture last year while Nigeria’s coach Ladan Bosso made an overhaul to his team.
Uganda face reigning Afcon U20 champions Senegal tomorrow at the same Accra Sports Stadium. Senegal beat South Sudan 1-0 in the other Group A fixture.
African Games
Group B results
Uganda 2-1 Nigeria
South Sudan 0-1 Senegal
Monday fixtures
Senegal vs. Uganda
Nigeria vs. South Sudan
Uganda Hippos team that beat Nigeria
Abdu Magada (GK), Haruna Lukwago, Ibrahim Juma, Ronald Madoi (Cyrus Kibande), Rogers Torach (C), Ivan Irinimbabazi, Abasi Kyeyune, Allan Oyirwoth, Bruno Bunyaga, Arafat Kizza Usama(Alpha Thiery Ssali), Jonah Patrick Kakande (Hakim Mutebi)
