September 8th,
Zambia Vs. Uganda, Levy Mwanawasa stadium Ndola
1st Leg, 2013 AFCON final round qualifiers
With just five days to the highly anticipated match between African champions Zambia and Cecafa Kings Uganda in the first leg of the 2013 AFCON final round qualifier at the Levy Mwanawasa
stadium, Kawowo Sports’ Ismael Kiyonga writes about some of the historical battles between the two sides.
According to statistics available on Wikipedia on the Uganda national team page, the two rivals have met 30 times with Chipolopolo holding an edge with 16 wins; Uganda has bagged 8 wins while 6 have been draws.
The Cranes have netted 30 goals against Zambia’s 36 in all those meetings an implication that the first leg hosts still hold the edge. This is however different from what exists on the Zambian national team Wikipedia section that shows 29 meetings, 13 Zambia wins; 10 wins for Uganda and 6 draws with Zambia scoring 39 goals against Uganda’s 35.
Most of these meetings have come in Cecafa senior challenge cup before Zambia opted out of the tournament to join Cosafa.
Below are some of the memorable past games between the two sides.
1973 – Uganda 1-1 Zambia (2-1 replay) – Cecafa Group Phase
The two games were all in the group phases. Having beaten fellow group mate Somalia 6-1 in the group, the two sides were level on both points and goals scored and conceded yet having settled for a 1-1 draw in a game against each other.
With the need to determine who wins the group, a replay was agreed and Uganda beat Zambia 2-1 to finish top of the group. Polly Ouma and Stanley Musisi “Tanker” scored Uganda’s goals in the replay.
1974 – Zambia 1-0 Uganda – Nations Cup Group Phase
It was the first time the two sides met in continent’s most prestigious national tournament. Uganda was placed in group A with hosts Egypt, Ivory Coast and Zambia. Uganda lost to Zambia 1-0 in her last game of the group with Kapita scoring the lone goal.
Zambia went on to finish runners up in the tournament losing 2-0 to Zaire (Current DRC) in a replay final after drawing 2-2 in the first final. Uganda finished third in the group with just a point after losing to Egypt 2-1 and drawing 2-2 with Cote d’Ivoire.
1975 – Zambia 2-1 Uganda (1st Leg), Uganda 3-0 Zambia (2nd Leg) – 1976 AFCON Qualifiers
After eliminating Mauritius in the preliminary round, Uganda drew Zambia in the next round.
The Cranes lost to Zambia 2-1 in the first leg in Lusaka but goals from Phillip Omondi, Polly Ouma and Mwesiga in the second leg at Nakivubo War Memorial Stadium overturned the first leg deficit to ensure Uganda qualified for the 1976 Nations Cup edition in Ethiopia.
1976 – Uganda 2-0 Zambia – Cecafa Cup finals
The tournament was hosted in Zanzibar and the two sides met in the finals. It was Uganda’s third time to reach the tournament’s finals and managed to beat Zambia 2-0 in the finals to lift her second trophy.
Moses Nsereko and Abbey Nasur scored Uganda’s goals in the game.
1977 – Uganda 2-0 Zambia (1st Leg), Zambia 4-1 Uganda (2nd Leg) – 1978 World cup qualifiers
These ties will forever stand out in controversy especially the second leg game in Lusaka. The Cranes won the first leg 2-0 in Kampala before travelling to Lusaka with an advantage.
Before kick off in the second leg, initiated by Zambia; both teams agreed that the away goals rule won’t apply in case the two sides tied on goals. With a lot of confidence from the Ugandan side, the match began and Uganda lost 3-1 to Zambia at the Hammarskjold Stadium in Ndola.
If the rule had applied, Uganda would have eliminated Zambia but the game went to extra time and Zambia won the game 4-1 courtesy of an extra time strike to advance.
1977 – Zambia 0-0 Uganda (5-3 on penalties) – Cecafa Cup finals
The two rivals met in the finals of the oldest regional tournament in Africa and settled for a goal less after 120 minutes. Paul Ssali was the hero of the day by saving two penalties to help Uganda lift the title in Mogadishu, Somalia.
1978 – Zambia 2-1 Uganda (Cecafa group phase), Zambia 4-0 Uganda (Semi-finals)
Zambia completed a double over Uganda at the Cecafa tournament organised in Malawi. First, they beat Uganda 2-1 in the group but the two sides were later to meet in the semi-finals and still the Zambians proved too strong for Ugandans beating them 4-0. Zambia however lost to hosts Malawi 3-2 in the finals and Uganda lost to Kenya 2-0 in a third play-off game.
1979 – Zambia 2-1 Uganda – Cecafa group phase
Zambia’s dominance over Uganda continued the following year in the Cecafa edition held in Kenya beating Cranes 2-1 in the group. However, none of the sides even made it to the semi-finals with Malawi beating hosts Kenya 3-2 in the finals to defend its title.
1981 – Uganda 3-1 Zambia (Group phase), Zambia 1-0 Uganda (3rd play-off) – Cecafa Cup
For the first time in three Cecafa editions, Uganda managed a win over Zambia beating the side 3-1 in the group. However, the Zambians revenged in the third place play-off match with a 1-0 win.
1984 – Zambia 3-0 Uganda (1st Leg), Uganda 1-0 Zambia (2nd Leg) -1986 World cup qualifiers
This is a result Ugandans will pray not to happen in the upcoming fixture. In a bid to qualify for Mexico 86, Uganda lost the first leg in Lusaka 3-0 but failed to overturn the deficit in the return leg in Kampala as Godfrey Katerega’s solitary strike couldn’t eliminate Zambia.
1984 – Uganda 1-1 Zambia – Cecafa group phase
The two sides were again placed in the same group at the Cecafa edition hosted by Kenya. The two settled for a one all draw with Frank Kyazze scoring Uganda’s goal in the game. Uganda finished third in the tournament after beating Malawi 1-0 in a 3rd place paly-off game.
1987 – Uganda 2-1 Zambia (1st Leg), Zambia 5-0 Uganda (2nd Leg) – Seoul Olympic games qualifiers
Magid Musisi and Ronald Vvubya scored a goal each in the first leg at Nakivubo stadium to give Uganda a 2-1 lead to take to Zambia but the KK11 (Chipolopolo’s nick name then) under the Coach Samuel Ndlovu hit Uganda for dead in the second leg with a 5-0 score line to qualify for the Olympics in Korea.
1987 – Uganda 4-0 Zambia – Cecafa group phase
Magid Musisi bagged a hat trick to condemn Zambia to its heaviest defeat against Uganda Cranes in a Cecafa tournament held in Ethiopia in 1987. Uganda finished third after beating Zanzibar 1-0 in a 3rd place play-off.
1989 – Uganda 3-1 Zambia – Cecafa Semi-finals
Uganda hosted the tournament and claimed the championship after defeating Malawi 2-1 on penalties after drawing 3-3 in normal time. However, The Cranes had beaten Zambia 3-1 in the semis courtesy of strikes from Magid Musisi, Robert Aloro and Umar Ssenoga. Zambia went on to lose the losers’ match 1-0 to Kenya.
1992 – Uganda 0-0 Zambia (Uganda won 4-2 on penalties)
This was a tournament held in Tanzania and Uganda managed to lift it after beating Tanzania “B” team 1-0 in the finals. The Uganda Cranes had however eliminated Zambia in the last four on penalties after settling for a 0-0 draw in normal time.
Current URA FC goal keeping Coach Saddiq Wassa was the hero after he saved two penalties.
2010 – Uganda 1-1 Zambia – International friendly
It happens to be the latest meeting between the two sides and ended 1-1. Simeon Masaba’s own goal gave the visitors a lead before midfielder Mike Sserumaga levelled matters for the Cranes. The game was played at Mandela Stadium with Herve Renard and Bobby Williamson in the dugout.
With a rich history between the two sides now on your fingertips, which team do you think hold the edge over two legs in the 2013 Nations Cup final round qualifiers?