Overview:
Uganda missed out on qualifying for the World Cup, but the team showed great progress with Allan Okello scoring 3 goals and 4 assists, Jamal Salim Magoola keeping two clean sheets, and Kenneth Ssemakula playing all the minutes of the campaign.
Uganda missed out on qualifying for a maiden world cup following defeat to Algeria in the final match on Tuesday.
Despite a disappointing end, a lot of positives have been realized with Uganda Cranes.
Kawowo Sports’ Ismael Kiyonga details the Cranes journey in this article detailing all the ten matches.
Goal scoring streak
For the first time in history, Uganda scored in all the matches in the campaign with the 4-0 win over Mozambique the epitome of the run.
However, only twice did they score more than once in a particular match – the other being a 2-0 win over Somalia at Namboole.
Okello comes to the party
Allan Okello ended the campaign as the Cranes’ most contributor to goals with 3 goals and 4 assists which is 50% of all Cranes 14 goals.
Rogers Mato closely follows with 3 goals although he registered no assists in the entire campaign.
Besides Okello and Mato, other Cranes’ goal scorers are Jude Ssemugabi (two), Elio Capradossi, Fahad Bayo, Muhammad Shaban (twice) and Steven Mukwala and Travis Mutyaba.
Onyango rescinds retirement decision, Magoola reinstated
Not many recall that Jamal Salim Magoola was in goal for Uganda’s first game in the campaign – a 2-1 loss to Guinea in Morocco.
He was later dropped but then recalled for the last four matches and kept goal in three of those keeping two clean sheets and only conceded a controversial penalty in Algeria.
In this same campaign, legendary Denis Onyango also rescinded his retirement decision after four years since his last match against Malawi in the 2023 Afcon qualifiers.
Ever present Kenneth Ssemakula makes history
From playing at right back to midfield, Kenneth Ssemakula has been the only ever-present figure on the Uganda Cranes team through the campaign. The only player to have played all the minutes. Historic feat for arguably one of the most underrated players on the team.
New look backline looks the part
Uganda has kept six clean sheets in 10 matches and three of them in the last four rounds.
This partly due to the new lads on the team in Jordan Obita and Tobby Sibbick who compliment Elio Capradossi and the undisputed Aziz Kayondo at left back.
The new faces have brought calmness, stability, composure and authority in the backline just in front of Salim Magoola and if kept together, they could be a foundation to build the team on from the back.
Here are the line -ups for all the 10 matches in the campaign
Match day ONE: Nov 17, 2023
- Guinea 2-1 Uganda | Camara 10’ Cisse 90+3 | Bayo 30’
Uganda Cranes XI: Magoola (GK), Ssemakula, Kayondo, Mugabi, Lwaliwa, Aucho ©, Bobosi (Awany 46’), Mutyaba (Anukani 87’), Karisa (Yunus 46’), Mato, Bayo (Basangwa 88’)
Unused substitutes: Watenga (GK), Juma, Bwomono, Omedi, Lutalo, Ramsey, Komakech (GK), Luwagga
Bookings: Awany, Sentamu, Bobosi, Kayondo
Match day TWO: Nov 21, 2023
- Somalia 0-1 Uganda | Mato
Uganda Cranes XI: Watenga (GK), Bwomono, Ssemakula, Kayondo, Mugabi, Lwaliwa, Aucho © (Bobosi 68’), Mutyaba, Oyirwoth (Lutalo 68’), Mato, Bayo (Omedi 88’)
Unused subs: Magoola (GK), Juma, Ramsey, Komakech (GK), Luwagga, Anukani, Awany, Basangwa, Karisa, Luwagga, Sentamu
Bookings: Ssemakula, Kayondo
Match day THREE: June 07, 2024
- Uganda 1-0 Botswana | Shaban 74’
Uganda Cranes XI: Watenga (GK), Bwomono (Shaban 65’), Muleme, Lwaliwa, Capradossi ©, Ssemakula, Ssekiganda, Okello (Mato 46’), Mutyaba (Sserunjogi 84’), Mukwala (Bobosi 65’), Bayo (Omedi 71’)
Unused substitutes: Kusiima (GK), Lutalo, Mwere, Otti, Kasule, Alionzi, Awany
Bookings: Lwaliwa, Mato
Match day FOUR: June 10, 2024
- Uganda 1-2 Algeria | Mutyaba 10’ | Aouar 46’, Benrahma 58’
Uganda Cranes XI: Watenga (GK), Ssemakula, Muleme, Capradossi ©, Lwaliwa (Awany 61’), Ssekiganda, Bobosi (Kakande 88’), Mato, Mutyaba (Kasule 88’), Mukwala (Omedi 57’), Bayo (Shaban 57’)
Unused subs: Alionzi (GK), Kusiima (GK), Mwere, Kayondo, Okello, Otti, Sserunjogi
Bookings: Mutyaba, Ssekiganda, Bobosi, Mato
Match day FIVE: March 20, 2025
- Mozambique 3-1 Uganda | Pepo 3’, 16’, Ratifo | Shaban 7’
Uganda Cranes XI: Watenga (GK) (Alionzi 46’), Bwomono (Ssekiganda 73’), Kayondo, Capradossi, Mugabi, Aucho ©, Ssemakula, Okello (Kabuye 87’), Ssemugabi, Omedi, Shaban (Mukwala 73’)
Unused subs: Awany, Kiwanuka, Gavin, Muleme, Mutakubwa (GK), Ssebagala, Sibbick, Mutyaba
Bookings: Omedi 33’ 38 (Red Card)
Match day SIX: March 25, 2025
- Uganda 1-0 Guinea | Okello 36’
Uganda Cranes XI: Alionzi (GK), Bwomono (Awany 46’), Kayondo, Mugabi, Capradossi ©, Ssemakula, Ssekiganda, Mutyaba (Ssemugabi 71’), Okello, Mato (Kiwanuka 90+1), Shaban (Kabuye 60’)
Unused subs: Gavin, Muleme, Mutakubwa (GK), Ssebagala, Sibbick, Kakande, Torach, Watenga (GK)
Match day SEVEN: September 05, 2025
- Uganda 4-0 Mozambique | Okello 48’, Mato 70’, 84’, Capradossi 90’
Uganda Cranes XI: Magoola (GK), Bwomono, Kayondo, Obita, Capradossi, Aucho ©, Ssemakula, Ssemugabi (Mpande 89’), Okello, Mato (Ikpeazu 89’), Mukwala (Mutyaba 77’)
Unused subs: Onyango (GK), Mutakubwa (GK), Achai, Sibbick, Ssekiganda, Torach, Kakande, Watambala, Gavin
Bookings: Aucho 59’, Mpande 90+4
Match day EIGHT: September 8, 2025
- Uganda 2-0 Somalia | Okello pen 6’, Ssemugabi 39’
Uganda Cranes XI: Magoola (GK), Sibbick, Kayondo, Obita, Capradossi, Aucho ©, Ssemakula, Ssemugabi, Okello (R. Mpande 89’), Mato (J. Mpande 89’), Mukwala (Omedi 70’)
Unused subs: Onyango (GK), Mutakubwa (GK), Achai, Gavin, Ikpeazu Ssekiganda, Mutyaba, Torach, Kakande, Watambala
Bookings: Capradossi 44’, Obita 90+3
Match day NINE: October 10, 2025
- Botswana 0-1 Uganda | Ssemugabi 54’
Uganda Cranes XI: Onyango (GK), Sibbick, Kayondo, Obita, Capradossi, Aucho ©, Ssemakula, Ssemugabi, Okello (Mutyaba 70’), Mato, Mukwala (Ikpeazu 70’)
Unused subs: Magoola (GK), Alionzi (GK), Oyirwoth, Bobosi, Ssebagala, Achai, Gavin, Ssekiganda, Torach, Kakande, Watambala, R. Mpande, J. Mpande
Bookings: None
Match day TEN: October 14, 2025
- Algeria 2-1 Uganda | Mukwala 6’ | Amoura 81, 90+9 pens)
Uganda Cranes XI: Onyango (GK) (Onyango 90+7), Sibbick, Kayondo, Obita, Capradossi, Aucho ©, Ssemakula, Ssemugabi (Omedi 73”, Okello (Mutyaba 90+7’), Mato (Ikpeazu 90+7), Mukwala (J. Mpande 82’)
Unused subs: Magoola (GK), Alionzi (GK), Oyirwoth, Bobosi, Ssebagala, Achai, Gavin, Ssekiganda, Torach, Kakande, Watambala, R. Mpande
Bookings: Kayondo 45+2, Magoola 86’
Anytime the Cranes miss out by one goal, one point or one game, which has happened a lot, you look at FUFA.
The biggest takeaway is that FUFA should have had their act together and hired the coaching crew or any other coaching team, much earlier.
We need to stop with the short-term planning.
Institutionalize goalkeeping clinics similar to the ones Paul Ssali and colleagues initiated. There is no reason we don’t have a pool of more than 10 top notch goalies who do the basics right.
I hope FUFA keep the coaching team for the sake of continuity.
It’s worth noting that the team still has lapses in concentration but they are getting better.
This team needs one month of pre-tournament camp to step it up a notch.
For the first time in decades, the Cranes are starting to play like the Cranes of the glory days. 🙂
Barring calamitous FUFA decision making, the Cranes will soon be back to the top of African football.