The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | It was a tough night for Uganda’s soccer fans as Algeria secured a 2-1 win against the Uganda Cranes in the fourth group match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The Ugandan side had high hopes after their Friday win against Botswana, aiming to defeat the Desert Foxes and claim the top spot in their group.
What started as a joyful and cheering crowd ended in disappointment for the thousands who filled Namboole Stadium to support the Uganda Cranes as they faced one of Africa’s football heavyweights. Despite an early lead, the Ugandan team saw their World Cup qualifying dreams take a hit as Algeria staged a comeback.
Uganda took an early lead in the 9th minute through young star Travis Mutyaba. Seizing a loose ball outside the box after a defensive lapse by the Algerians, Mutyaba struck the ball into the far post, beating Algerian custodian Anthony Manderea.
This early lead set an optimistic tone for the Ugandan side, who continued to create opportunities, particularly through the efforts of Rogers Mato on the left flank. However, clear chances by forwards Steven Desse Mukwala and Rogers Kassim Mato were not converted, and they headed to halftime with a 1-0 advantage.
The match took a dramatic turn at the start of the second half. Just a minute in, Houssem Aouar equalized for Algeria, silencing the previously boisterous stadium. Algeria then took the lead in the 58th minute with a goal from West Ham United forward Saïd Benrahma, who finished off a swift counter-attack after Kenneth Ssemakula lost possession outside the opponent’s box.
“I am not disappointed about the performance, I even congratulated the players for the mentality they showed, but football is very simple. If you create a chance and don’t score, it becomes very difficult because you are playing an opponent who has better quality, and one of the best teams in Africa,” Coach Put told journalists during the post-match press conference.
“And then you give two stupid goals away at very bad moments. So it becomes very hard, but still, I think it is a learning process. Our squad is very young, we have to grow in maturity, and we also have to look for players who can make a statement,” Put added.
The Belgian tactician also believes his team had better statistics and never deserved to lose the game. He also said if everything was correct, his side would have gotten a penalty that was never awarded to them.
“I think when you see the statistics, the way we have been playing, the number of attacks we have been making, I think we did not deserve a loss. If everything was correct, we could have also earned a penalty. We shall analyze this game with our players; we lost the battle but we did not lose the war,” he noted.
The win helped Algeria consolidate their position at the top of Group G with nine points, followed closely by Mozambique, who also have nine points but a lower goal difference. Botswana, Guinea, and Uganda each have six points, with Botswana currently in third place due to a better goal difference, and Guinea ahead of Uganda based on head-to-head results.
Under the current qualification format, the leading team from each of the nine groups will automatically qualify for the World Cup. Additionally, the four best runners-up will compete in an African playoff, with the winners advancing to the inter-confederation playoffs scheduled for March 2026.
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