The long wait is over. Uganda Cranes are through to the Gabon AFCON 2017 after breaking a 38-year wait by beating Comoros 1-0 in their final qualifier at the Nelson Mandela Stadium, Namboole.
Farouk Miya’s 34th minute strike sealed the deal as the Coach Milutin Sredojevic “Micho” charges picked maximum points to finish second behind Burkina Faso in group “D”. Uganda qualify as one of two best runner-ups.
Cranes swung into action from the blow of the first whistle just like the Islanders had anticipated, and within the first minute, Captain Geoffrey Massa had been fouled few miters away from box, the resultant delivery by Joseph Ochaya was kicked away to safety.
Miya earned them the first corner, one of the nine they wasted in the first stanza. Comoros had a right of reply in the seventh minute when Mohamed El Fardou found himself unmarked in the forbidden area only to gift Dennis Onyango with an easy save.
10 minutes into the match, Miya floated in the third corner which Ochaya headed on target but was cleared off the line with keeper Ahamada Ali failing to hold on to the ball.
Ahamada Kassim called Onyango into action again in the 19th minute exploiting Cranes left channel that looked shaky but again the Mamelodi Sundowns keeper was alert.
The hosts sustained attacks continued into the half hour mark when Massa failed to head in Moses Oloya’s sublime cross from the right side of the forbidden area.
Farouk Miya goal
The Standard Liege danger man picked the ball from clearance dribbled with defense chasing, then shot straight at Comoros keeper Ali who found it hot like a potatoes spilling it, his defense also failed him as they failed to clear allowing Miya to recover and drill it home, sending Namboole into a frenzy.
Bakar Djamel responded on the restart with a stinging shot which Onyango palmed over the bar for a subsequent cleared corner by Ochaya.
Murshid Juuko was booked for delaying Comoros’ quick restart in the 43rd minute. The match ended 1-0 in favor of the Cranes after one minute of added time.
The second stanza was no different as the Micho men imposed their superiority over he visitors but with no further goals forth coming.
Comoros landed a corner in the 50th minute with Chamar Nasser swinging it in but it was another of Ochaya’s easy clearances. On the other end Miya who had just returned from the field after an injury scare, curled a beauty which Comors keeper gladly kept safe.
Mchangama Youssuff connected a corner for Comoros in the 54th minute but Onyango was in hand to save.
Micho introduced Emmanuel Okwi for Luwagga Kizito in the 55th a move that rejuvenated the attacks but still the second goal was not coming.
Geoffrey Massa and Tony Mawejje would miss more open chances for Uganda in the dying minutes of the game however they managed to hang on to the historic win.
Uganda XI
Dennis Onyango
Wadada Nicholas
Joseph Ochaya
Murushid Juuko
Isaac Isinde
Khalid Aucho
Tonny Mawejje
Luwagga Kizito
Oloya Moses
Miya Farouk
Geoffrey Massa
Subs: Salim Jamal, Ivan Ntege, Hassan Wasswa, Godffrey Walusimbi, Yunus Sentumu, Okwi Emmanuel, Geoffrey Serunkuma
Comoros XI
Ahamadi Ali
Abdou Nadsim
Bachirou Fouad
Mohamed El Fardou
Mchangama Youssouf
Bakar Djamel
Ahamada Kassim
Kombo Ahamada
Youssuf Ben
Chamed Nasser
Youssuf Madi
Subs: Mze Ali Ancoub, Moahamed Al Kane, Houmadi Cheika, Mbaranza Omar, Mmsdi Ali, Daoudoo Clement
