For the second matchday at the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was used during CHAN 2014.
As Uganda Cranes smiled past Guinea 3-0 during a Group C contest, VAR had an impact, a significant one indeed.
The Video Assistant Referee review precipitated Libyan referee Ahmed Abdulrazg to make key decisions.
First, for Allan Okello’s penalty in the 62nd minute after the playmaker was tripped in the forbidden area.
The referee had not initially indicated the penalty after Okello was fouled in the area until VAR intervened.
Then VAR overturned referee Abdulrazg’s decision to award Guinea a penalty in the 68th minute after a slight touch of Uganda Cranes’ left back Herbert Achayi.
In the match proper, Uganda Cranes scored through Reagan Mpande, Okello (penalty) and Ivan Ahimbisibwe.
The victory was a timely reaction by the Uganda Cranes, who had lost 0-3 to Algeria.
Uganda now has three points, the same as Guinea, which had beaten Niger 1-0 in the opener.
Algeria sits top of Group C with four points while South Africa has a point earned from the one-all draw with the Algerians during Friday’s early kick-off.
Group C action resumes on Monday, 11th August 2025 with yet another double header. South Africa faces a wounded Guinea in the early kick-off (5 PM) before Uganda takes on Niger at 8 PM.
CHAN is played by players who ply their trade in the domestic leagues of the participating countries on the African continent.