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Uganda vs. Guinea: Meeting of strugglers
Aziizi Kayondo has been on of the better players. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
What you need to know:
Both the Cranes and Syli National limp into Tuesday night’s clash at Namboole, Uganda reeling from a heavy defeat to Mozambique and Guinea frustrated by a goalless draw against lowly Somalia. The pair are in desperate need of redemption
With five matches played and as many to go, only bottom-placed Somalia has had a worse campaign than Uganda in Group G of the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
Actually, it was not until at the weekend that Somalia picked their first point in the goalless draw with Guinea, having lost their previous four, including a 1-0 defeat to Uganda, the Cranes' first of only two victories of the campaign back in November 2023.
Somalia remain rooted at the bottom with three goals scored and nine conceded, while Uganda, level on six points with Botswana but behind on goal difference, sit just above them.
Leaders Algeria and Mozambique, both on 12 points, are in a heated race for the sole automatic qualification spot. Just below them, Guinea - despite their recent struggles - hold seven points.
Mixed fortunes
Uganda’s last outing saw them suffer a 3-1 defeat to Mozambique in Cairo, with Shaban Muhammad scoring the lone Cranes goal in a game Denis Omedi was sent off after a second yellow card.
Two days later, Guinea delivered a lacklustre performance of their own in a goalless draw against Somalia in Ivory Coast.
Despite the loss, Uganda’s second-half resilience with 10 men against Mozambique offered some encouragement. Cranes coach Paul Put acknowledged the team’s slow start but remained hopeful.
"I still believe it is not over," he said, looking ahead to Tuesday’s match against Guinea at Namboole.
Guinea, meanwhile, will take confidence from their earlier 2-1 victory over Uganda in Morocco in 2023 but will be wary after their uninspiring showing against Somalia.
Cranes striker Jude Ssemugabi. PHOTO/JOHN BATANUDDE
Both teams are struggling for form, making Tuesday’s game a must-win if they are to harbour any slim hopes of back door qualification.
Big decisions
Uganda will rely on their home crowd at Namboole to unsettle Guinea, while the visitors will look to capitalize on the Cranes' inconsistencies.
Given their recent performances, there is little to separate these two sides, making for an unpredictable and tense encounter.
Coach Paul Put has big decisions to make. Goalkeeper Isma Watenga was hauled off at halftime in Cairo after a disastrous first half, replaced by Nafian Alionzi. Has he regained Put’s trust, or has Alionzi staked his claim in training?
How about Toby Sibbick? Is it time to throw the Wigan Athletic defender into the fray, or would it be too much for the 25-year-old before a demanding home crowd? Timothy Awany and Gavin Kizito will also have watched last Thursday's events in Cairo and thought to themselves they surely stood a chance in Kampala.
Elio Capradossi and Bevis Mugabi looked like strangers in the Egyptian capital with Mugabi particularly at fault for Mozambique’s third goal.
Skipper Khalid Aucho and Kenneth Ssemakula struggled to shield the back four, which included Azizi Kayondo (left) and Elvis Bwomono (right). Ronald Ssekiganda is expected to replace Ssemakula in midfield, just behind Allan Okello, who assisted Shaban’s goal in Cairo.
Omedi’s suspension coincides with the return of Rogers Mato upfront. Should Steven Mukwala get the nod ahead of Jude Ssemugabi in the front three, alongside Shaban, Uganda’s top scorer with two goals?
There is also the small matter of whether Steven Mukwala should start ahead of Jude Ssemugabi in the front three, with Shaban - Uganda’s top scorer with two goals - maintaining his role as the lead striker.
Guinea arrive at Namboole with the meanest defence having conceded only four goals, with Uganda - who are two places below them on the table - outscoring them just once.
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Guinea arrive at Namboole boasting the meanest defense in the group, having conceded only four goals. The Cranes’ attack will need to be at their best to break them down.
Defensively, Uganda must keep a close eye on Guinea’s Bulgaria-based forward Aguibou Camara, who has already scored twice in this campaign.
However, the real danger lies in Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy. Despite failing to score in five qualifiers, his European form is frightening.
His 2024/25 season stats read 14 Bundesliga goals and two assists in 23 appearances, along with 10 strikes and five assists in the Champions League. He may not have found the net for Guinea yet, but ignoring him would be a costly mistake.
In the last 10 years, the two sides have faced off three times, with Uganda winning the 2015 Afcon qualifying home fixture 2-0 and Guinea beating the Cranes by the same scoreline in the reverse encounter.
The most recent clash was the 2-1 Cranes defeat to the Syli National in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in November 2023 in Morocco.
Possible Cranes XI
Ismail Watenga, Elvis Bwomono, Azizi Kayondo, Bevis Mugabi, Elio Capradossi, Khalid Aucho, Ronald Ssekiganda, Allan Okello, Rogers Mato, Jude Ssemugabi, Shaban Muhammad
Substitutes: Joel Mutakubwa, Nafian Alionzi, Timothy Awany, Gavin Kizito, Toby Sibbick, Noah Ssemakula, Enock Ssebagala, Hakim Kiwanuka, Steven Mukwala, Travis Mutyaba, Isaac Muleme, Calvin Kabuye
Coach: Paul Put
2026 Fifa World Cup Qualifiers
Uganda results so far
Mozambique 3-1 Uganda
Uganda 1-2 Algeria
Uganda 1-0 Botswana
Somalia 0-1 Uganda
Guinea 2-1 Uganda
Guinea results so far
Guinea 0-0 Somalia
Guinea 0-1 Mozambique
Algeria 1-2 Guinea
Botswana 1-0 Guinea
Guinea 2-1 Uganda
Head-to-head since 2014
October 9, 2014: Uganda 2-0 Guinea
November 19, 2014: Guinea 2-0 Uganda
November 17, 2023: Guinea 2-1 Uganda
