DAVID ISABIRYE: Uganda Cranes fail the Mathematical enigma at CHAN 2016

As a student, mathematics remained a complex subject to me, in preference for Literature.

Throughout my days at school, I somehow had a natural phobia for the ‘figures’.

Surprisingly, the feat has followed me to ordinary day life to date.

And it goes without saying, every time Uganda Cranes has been entangled in a mathematical equation to solve in a bid to secure qualification; I have always taken a back seat.

Amazingly, when a friend whispered to me that Cranes stood a mathematical chance of progressing to the CHAN 2016 quarter-finals, I abandoned the Calculator on my Gate Way lap-top and that on the One Thor I-Phone.

Instead, I opted for a ‘big’ scientific calculator at a Rubavu super market that I thought would help me solve the Cranes’ equation.

Uganda needed to defeat Zimbabwe in the last group D match at Umuganda by at least two goals  and eagerly for the result between Zambia and Mali ending in the former’s favour since Mali only required a point to progress.

The two matches were held simultaneously like the rest of the group stage games to avoid ‘syndicating’ the results.

The mother of all shocks was when Uganda conceded in the 48^th minute meanwhile the Zambia – Mali tie was still glued goal-less.

Now, the next dilemma was to calculate how many other goals Uganda needed to score with a high hope of praying for Zambia’s victory.

By the 90^th minute and all hopes gone, veteran forward Geofrey Sserunkuma scored deep in injury time off Timothy Awany’s perfectly executed ball from the right after a clever back heel from teenager, Edirisa ‘Torres’ Lubega.

Now, I calculated the percentage time left on the clock as we desperately sought for the winner.

Within seconds, the game came to a climax and the Cranes bowed out of the tourney.

To my shock, Zimbabwe players ‘collapsed’ on the Umuganda astro- turf crest fallen even after they started the game already eliminated.

Because I loathe the mathematics, I even left the calculator on my table at the work station in the media tribune zone as I rushed for the post match press conference.

At least, I am sure that as the tournament heads to the knock out stages, there will be need to calculator progression.

As I left for Kigali City in the night, a question kept pondering my heart, when shall the Uganda Cranes ever pass this mathematics hurdle?