The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Uganda ?? 1 South Sudan ?? 0
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A late penalty converted by Mustafa Kizza was enough to give Uganda Kobs a slim 1-0 win over South Sudan Wednesday in a 2019 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) match, that is qualifier for the Japan 2020 Olympics.
The visiting South Sudan side who traveled over 600km by bus from Juba defended in numbers early in the half to give Kobs no chance at the StarTimes Stadium, Lugogo.
Attacking midfielder Allan Okello and Julius Poloto kept the South Sudan team busy, but the visitors defended in numbers to give the home side no chance in the early half.
On return Uganda Kobs piled lots of pressure with Okello trying to shot from outside the box, but the defenders were up to the task. The South Sudan team also had Makueth Wol Akeen Nhuet test the Ugandan goalkeeper twice.
But with one added minute striker Stephen Dese Mukwala run in the box before Pal Paul Pukin brought him down. The Egyptian referee cautioned Pukin and awarded a penalty which Kizza converted.
“We should have scored many goals but my players failed to unlock the South Sudan defending line. We need to work harder in the return leg on November 20th,” Uganda Kobs coach Wasswa Bbosa said after the game.
The winner between the Uganda Kobs and South Sudan will take on Tunisia in the second round of qualification in March next year before the final qualification round in June.
Egypt will host the 2019 U-23 AFCON which will be the 3rd edition. The tournament will determine which three African teams will compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics men’s football tournament in Japan.
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Kenya, Ethiopia scoring sprees in Olympics football
Kenya and Ethiopia went on scoring sprees Wednesday in the other African football qualifying competition matches, reports AFP.
The Kenyans were two goals ahead of Mauritius within 13 minutes in Nairobi and finished 5-0 winners of a one-sided first round first leg match.
Johnstone Omurwa and James Mazabe were the early scorers and Pistone Mutamba netted after 35 minutes for a 3-0 half-time advantage.
Sydney Lokole and Joseph Okumu netted in the second half for Kenya, who travel to Belle Vue in the Indian Ocean island state for the return match this Sunday.
Ethiopia scored twice in each half to build a 4-0 first leg lead in Addis Ababa over Somalia, a violence-wracked east African nation making a rare international appearance.
Canaan Markneh and Israel Eshetu netted for the hosts during the opening half and Awot Gebremikael and Abubakher Sanni scored within three minutes midway through the second half.
Sanni was later red-carded and will miss the return match in Horn of Africa state Djibouti next Tuesday.
Burundi got on top after half-time to defeat Tanzania 2-0 in Bujumbura through goals by Muryango Mabano, from a penalty, and Laudit Mavugo.
Other qualifiers in east Africa were drawn with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo failing to score in Rubavu and a clash between Seychelles and Sudan in Victoria ending 1-1.
Daouda Camara scored in the final minute of regular time to snatch a 2-1 victory for Guinea over Mauritania in Nouakchott.
The Mauritanians made an encouraging start with Hassem Teguedi netting on 10 minutes only for Mai Traore to equalise with 72 minutes gone in northwestern Africa.
Olympic Games football qualifiers are restricted to under-23 footballers with each country permitted three over-age ‘wildcards’ at the finals.
Nigeria (1996) and Cameroon (2000) are the two African countries who won the quadrennial tournament.
